Open-heart surgery: somatic predictors of postoperative psychopathology

This study reports on some relationships between somatic conditions and postoperative psychopathological disturbances in 102 subjects from 20 to 65 years of age, undergoing open heart surgery. The overall incidence of postoperative psychiatric complications was 40%. Only two variables showed a significant correlation with the psychiatric criteria we used, independent of the different diagnoses: body weight and preoperative urea-N levels in serum. Some of the somatic predictors reported in the literature could be found to be specific for mitral or aortic valve disease. Predictors for psychiatric complications in patients with aortic valve replacement were: age, preoperative protein and urea-N levels in serum, and daytime sedation. The predictor in mitral valve replacement was the decrease in venous oxygenation (pulmonary artery) under physical strain.