ABSTRACT
Objectives: this study aimed at evaluation of changes in the pre- and post-operative depression by simple method among open cardiac surgery patients that may help in further psychiatric intervention to improve outcomes
Methods: it included eighty four patients of those that subjected to open cardiac surgery over one year period. They were evaluated prior to the surgery, at the tenth postoperative day and at three to four months later. Assessments were done using the WHO [Ten] Well-Being Questionnaire, the Major Depression Rating Scale [ICD-10 version], the PCASEE Quality of Life Scale, and the New York Heart Association Functional Classification [NYHA]
Results: high concordance rate in diagnosing de in pression was found in this study between the surgeon and the psychiatrist. More than one third [36%] of patients who subjected to open cardiac surgery had preoperative depression. At the follow up; there were increased levels of depression more than the preoperative stage. Low scores of the quality of life were related in the post-operative stages to the depression in spite of the marked improvement the functional disability
Conclusion: there are decrements in both the quality of life and depressive scores in open cardiac surgery patients even after surgical interference independent of the improvement in the physical functional disabilities that needs further psychiatric intervention to mini mize the further physical consequences of depression