Coronary artery bypass surgery--impact upon a patient's wife--a pilot study

A pilot study of the wives of 19 coronary artery surgery patients assessed levels and predictors of affective symptoms. A substantial proportion of wives (40 to 50%) reported levels of depression (but not anxiety) severe enough to warrant treatment, and many attributed this to the effects of their husband's operation. Neither the wives' expectations of patient outcome, nor the objectively assessed surgical outcome bore any relationship to the wives' affective state. A previous psychiatric history in a wife was possibly related to her affective state, but her 'N' score (emotionality) on the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire was very strongly related to her state.