Postoperative depression after open heart surgery

: Rehabilitation of the patients following open heart surgery is strongly influenced by the psychological conditions. Depression plays a crucial negative role in this process. Depression score was measured in patients taking part in the rehabilitation course of our institute last year (1998), 6 weeks after discharge from the hospital. Unfortunately preoperative score was not done. Beck Depression Inventory (BI) test was used. Following factors were investigated: age, gender, cross clamp and bypass time, type of anaesthesia (propofol, isoflurane or midazolam, all combined with fentanyl), ICU stay, hospital stay, hypotension, cardioversion during hospital stay and neurological disorders. Statistical analyses were performed with forward stepwise regression and ANOVA tests. 74 patients were investigated. BI score under 10 points is considered to be normal. Depression scores were significantly affected by the gender (females: r: 0.85, p = 0.005), and the ICU stay (r: 0.76, p = 0.007). Type of anaesthesia, age, hospital stay, and neurological disorders did not affected the depression score. Our results indicate, that females and patients with longer ICU stay require special attention during the perioperative period in psychological respect.