Baseline depressive symptoms, personal control, and concern moderate the effects of preoperative psychological interventions: the randomized controlled PSY-HEART trial.

This study examined whether baseline (3-14 days pre-surgery) levels of (i) depressive or (ii) anxiety symptoms and (iii) illness beliefs moderate the effects of additional preoperative interventions before coronary artery bypass graft surgery on (i) depressive or (ii) anxiety symptoms and (iii) illness beliefs 1 day before surgery, 1 week and 6 months after surgery. In the PSY-HEART trial, 115 patients were assessed. They were randomized into one of three groups: 1. receiving standard medical care only (SMC), additional psychological interventions: 2. aiming to optimize patients' expectations (EXPECT), or 3. focusing on emotional support. Patients with a higher baseline level of depressive symptoms receiving a preoperative psychological intervention indicated lower depressive symptoms 6 months after surgery compared to SMC. EXPECT increased personal control and concern levels in patients with low baseline personal control/concern 1 day before surgery. Brief preoperative psychological interventions can improve psychological outcomes in heart surgery patients. Baseline status may moderate these effects. The study has been approved by the medical ethics committee of the Philipps University of Marburg and has been pre-registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01407055) on August 1, 2011.