Effects of an Innovative Psychotherapy Program for Surgical Patients: Bridging Intervention in Anesthesiology--A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: The stepped care program Bridging Intervention in Anesthesiology (BRIA) aims at motivating and supporting surgical patients with comorbid mental disorders to engage in psychosocial mental healthcare options. This study examined the efficacy of BRIA. METHODS: This randomized, parallel-group, open-label, controlled trial was conducted in the preoperative anesthesiological assessment clinics and surgical wards of a large university hospital in Germany. A total of 220 surgical patients with comorbid mental disorders were randomized by using the computer-generated lists to one of two intervention groups: BRIA psychotherapy sessions up to 3 months postoperatively (BRIA) versus no psychotherapy/computerized brief written advice (BWA) only. Primary outcome was participation in psychosocial mental healthcare options at month 6. Secondary outcome was change of self-reported general psychological distress (Global Severity Index of the Brief Symptom Inventory) between baseline and month 6. RESULTS: At 6-month follow-up, the rate of patients who engaged in psychosocial mental healthcare options was 30% (33 of 110) in BRIA compared with 11.8% (13 of 110) in BWA (P = 0.001). Number needed to treat and relative risk reduction were 6 (95% CI, 4 to 13) and 0.21 (0.09 to 0.31), respectively. In BRIA, Global Severity Index decreased between baseline and month 6 (P < 0.001), whereas it did not change significantly in BWA (P = 0.197). CONCLUSIONS: Among surgical patients with comorbid mental disorders, BRIA results in an increased engagement in subsequent therapy options and a decrease of general psychological distress. These data suggest that it is reasonable to integrate innovative psychotherapy programs into the context of interdisciplinary surgical care.

Depression and essential health risk factors in surgical patients in the preoperative anaesthesiological assessment clinic.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Depression is common in patients with medical illness. However, little is known about frequency and clinical relevance of preoperative depression in surgical patients. The objective of this study was to investigate the frequency of depression, essential health risk factors and hospital length of stay (LOS) of patients in preoperative anaesthesiological assessment. METHODS: Patients were consecutively screened in the preoperative anaesthesiological assessment clinics. In total, 5429 patients gave written informed consent to perform a computerised self-assessment of lifestyle factors, including alcohol use, tobacco smoking, weight, physical status, physical exercise, sleeping disturbance, subjective health and sense of coherence (SOC). Depression was defined by a WHO-5 well-being score of 13 or less. LOS was obtained from the electronic patient management system. RESULTS: A clinically relevant depressive state was found in 29.7% of the patients. Patients with depression had a median LOS of 6.0 days as compared to patients with positive well-being who had a LOS of 4.8 days (P < 0.001). Worse subjective health, less physical exercise and experience of SOC, as well as more severe sleeping disturbances were independently and significantly associated with depression (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Clinically significant depressive states are frequent conditions in surgical patients of preoperative anaesthesiological assessment and are associated with an increased LOS. Different clinical pathways delivering adequate preoperative information according to the needs, considering subjective health and SOC of the patient as well as avoiding immobilisation and sleep disturbances during hospital stay should be considered. Long-term treatment programmes including brief intervention in the hospital and an outpatient concept should be offered.