Prospective study of preoperative anxiety and impact on postoperative pain perception and recovery quality in patients undergoing thyroidectomy

Table 1 Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics, n (%) or mean ± SD

Variable	Low anxiety (n = 168)	High anxiety (n = 132)	P value
Age (year)	45.32 ± 11.45	44.87 ± 12.23	0.745
Female	134 (79.8)	108 (81.8)	0.653
BMI (kg/m2)	23.56 ± 3.21	23.89 ± 3.45	0.398
Education level			0.412
High school or below	72 (42.9)	62 (47.0)
College or above	96 (57.1)	70 (53.0)
Surgical extent			0.534
Total thyroidectomy	112 (66.7)	92 (69.7)
Hemithyroidectomy	56 (33.3)	40 (30.3)
Operative time (minute)	98.45 ± 24.67	101.23 ± 26.34	0.355
Pathological diagnosis			0.489
Papillary carcinoma	128 (76.2)	96 (72.7)
Benign nodules	40 (23.8)	36 (27.3)
HADS-A score	4.23 ± 1.89	11.67 ± 2.54	< 0.001

BMI: Body mass index; HADS-A: Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety subscale.

Table 2 Comparison of postoperative outcomes between anxiety groups, n (%) or mean ± SD

Outcome variable	Low anxiety (n = 168)	High anxiety (n = 132)	P value
Pain (VAS)
24 hours	3.21 ± 1.34	4.82 ± 1.56	< 0.001
48 hours	2.45 ± 1.18	3.67 ± 1.42	< 0.001
72 hours	1.68 ± 0.95	2.54 ± 1.23	< 0.001
QoR-40 total score	165.82 ± 15.67	142.36 ± 18.45	< 0.001
Physical comfort	52.34 ± 5.67	44.56 ± 6.89	< 0.001
Emotional state	38.67 ± 4.23	29.45 ± 5.12	< 0.001
Physical independence	22.45 ± 2.34	19.23 ± 2.89	< 0.001
Psychological support	30.12 ± 3.45	26.78 ± 4.12	< 0.001
Pain	22.24 ± 2.67	22.34 ± 3.23	0.769
DVT incidence	3 (1.79)	9 (6.82)	0.024
NDI score (1-month)	18.32 ± 6.54	28.45 ± 8.67	< 0.001
POSAS score (1-month)	24.67 ± 6.45	32.56 ± 7.89	< 0.001
Postoperative stay, days	2.67 ± 0.89	3.45 ± 1.12	< 0.001
Central LN metastasis	69 (41.07)	51 (38.64)	0.667

VAS: Visual Analog Scale; QoR-40: Quality of Recovery-40; DVT: Deep vein thrombosis; NDI: Neck Disability Index; POSAS: Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale; LN: Lymph node.