Anxiety and Depression Scores in Patients Subjected to Arterial Revascularization for Critical Limb Ischemia.

Objectives: This study aims to examine the changes in anxiety and depression scores in 138 patients with critical limb ischemia (rest pain or gangrene) who had no previous psychiatric history, at 30 days and 6 months after surgical revascularization.

Methods: Patients were submitted to a questionnaire-based evaluation using the Beck Anxiety and Depression Inventories before surgery (no more than three days before surgery) ("Pre-Op"), 30 days after surgical revascularization ("Early PO") and at least 6 months after surgical revascularization ("Late PO"). The cut-off scores for depression were (1) < 10, no depression or minimal depression; (2) 10‒18, mild to moderate depression; (3) 19‒29, moderate to severe depression; and (4) 30‒63, severe depression. The cut-off scores for anxiety were (1) < 8, no anxiety or minimal anxiety; (2) 8‒15, mild anxiety; (3) 16‒25, moderate anxiety; and (4) 26‒63, severe anxiety.

Results: No perioperative mortality was observed 30 days after surgical revascularization. Thirty-nine (28.2%) patients underwent major (above-ankle) amputation within 30 days. Mean anxiety and depression scores, respectively, declined from 12.48 ± 9.74 (mean ± SD) and 16.92 ± 12.48 preoperatively to 4.89 ± 7.04 and 6.52 ± 9.36 postoperatively (P<0.001, both). Anxiety and depression scores were not significantly affected by preoperative comorbidities (systemic arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, previous stroke, and smoking), affected arterial territory (aortoiliac, femoropopliteal, or infrapopliteal), or surgical technique (open surgery vs endovascular therapy). Only patients undergoing amputation within 30 days showed no improvement in depressive symptoms.

Conclusions: Patients with critical limb ischemia have a high incidence of anxiety and depressive symptoms, which improve considerably after successful surgical revascularization. Major amputation was associated with a lack of improvement in depression scores. A formal psychiatric evaluation may be beneficial in patients who show no improvement in depressive symptoms.