[Assessment of preoperative anxiety in patients awaiting operation on thyroid gland].

Anxiety is the most important psychological preoperative phenomenon. The aims of the present study are threefold: to assess the level of anxiety in patients awaiting operation on thyroid gland; to identify certain patient characteristics that predispose to high anxiety, to compare two measurements of anxiety to determine whether they can assess anxiety before surgery--STAI and VAS. 32 patients participated in the study and completed the state and the trail scales of the State - Trait Anxiety Inventory - STAI and the 100 mm Visual Analogue Scale - VAS the day before surgery. We studied anxiely factors: age, ASA. previous anesthesia. education and smoking. Our results support the presence of a high degree of preoperative anxiety assessed by STAI - S. STAI - T, VAS and STAL - S + VAS: 78.1%, 62.5%, 65.6% and 65.6%. Patients aged 50 - 59 and > 60 years. ASA III and IV, with previous anesthetic experience, less educated and non-smokers had higher frequency of preoperative anxiety.