THE PREDICTION OF CARDIAC-SURGERY OUTCOME BASED UPON PREOPERATIVE PSYCHOLOGICAL-FACTORS

The present study was designed to investigate whether preoperative anx iety and anger were predictive of postoperative outcome in cardiac sur gery parients. A standardized scale measuring state and trait anxiety and anger was completed by 94 patients awaiting cardiac surgery. Depen dent measures included length of stay, number of complications, and cl inical rating of surgical outcome. Higher levels of preoperative state anxiety and anger were associated with poorer postoperative outcome. These results were obtained after adjusting for medical status, surgic al procedure, preoperative length of stay, priority of surgery, gender , and age. These relationships suggest a potential role for interventi ons aimed at altering presurgical psychological states.