Biomedical and psychosocial predictors of anginal frequency in patients following angioplasty with and without coronary stenting.

This study examined the contribution of biomedical and psychological variables in the report of anginal frequency at 6-week, 6- and 12-month follow-up in patients who received angioplasty with and without stent. Patients (N = 70) completed a battery of standardized questionnaries, including measures of depression, anxiety, and anger. Principal components analysis computed a single factor of negative emotion for use as a predictor in regression analyses. For the 6-week model, only baseline anginal frequency predicted anginal frequency. Negative emotion joined baseline anginal frequency in the prediction model for 6-month anginal frequency, and collectively accounted for 23% of the variance. For the 12-month model, baseline anginal frequency, female sex, and negative emotions remained in the model, accounting for 46% of the variance in anginal frequency. These results highlight the importance of biomedical and psychosocial variables in predicting anginal frequency with psychological variables sustaining predictive value over the course of recovery.