Influence of preoperative anxiety on hypotension after spinal anaesthesia in women undergoing Caesarean delivery.

Background: We designed a prospective observational study to assess the effect of preoperative anxiety on hypotension after spinal anaesthesia.

Methods: After IRB approval and signed informed consent, 100 healthy term parturients undergoing elective Caesarean delivery under spinal anaesthesia were enrolled. Direct psychological assessments of preoperative anxiety were verbal analogue scale (VAS) (0-10) anxiety score and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory questionnaire (STAI-s); salivary amylase was measured as an indirect physical assessment of anxiety.