Psychosocial outcome after coronary artery by-pass surgery.

Thirty-six patients with obstructive coronary artery disease were interviewed before by-pass graft surgery, and again a mean period of 12.3 months (n = 34) after the operation. The operation was successful in providing relief from chest pain in 31 patients. Psychiatric outcome was related to preoperative mental state, social maladjustment, neuroticism, Bortner Type A score, and previous psychiatric history. One quarter of those employed preoperatively failed to return to work after operation, even though they were improved in terms of symptoms and functional capacity. No association was found between measures of either psychiatric morbidity, or employment status at follow-up, and pre-operative physical variables.