Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32228525›Full record

ArticleBMC psychiatry2020

Preoperative anxiety in adults - a cross-sectional study on specific fears and risk factors.

Leopold Eberhart, Hansjörg Aust, Maike Schuster, Theresa Sturm, Markus Gehling, Frank Euteneuer, Dirk Rüsch

6 registry-linked trialsAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC psychiatry, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 6 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 103 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
103citing papers in PubMed, 4 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT06041672 naunknown statusnot on this mapstarted 2023, after this paper: background citation

The Effectiveness of Warm Hand Bath in Improving Anxiety Before Lower Limbs Surgery Among Middle-aged and Older Patients

TypeinterventionalSponsorCathay General HospitalRan2023 to 2025Enrolled78ConditionsPreoperative AnxietyArmsWarm Water Hand Baths
NCT06099223 nacompletednot on this mapstarted 2022, after this paper: background citation

Open-Label Randomized Controlled Trial to Assess Preoperative Acupuncture for Patients Undergoing Total Knee or Hip Arthroplasty

TypeinterventionalSponsorHartford HospitalRan2022 to 2023Enrolled60ConditionsKnee Arthropathy, Hip Arthropathy, AnxietyArmsAcupuncture needles
NCT06292663 nacompletednot on this mapstarted 2024, after this paper: background citation

Can Preoperative Information Via Virtual Reality Affect Patient's Anxiety? A Randomized Controlled Trial and Patient Interviews

TypeinterventionalSponsorZealand University HospitalRan2024 to 2025Enrolled88ConditionsAnxiety, Surgery, PainArmsVirtual Reality
NCT06461052 nacompletednot on this mapstarted 2024, after this paper: background citation

Information and Music Therapy as a Means of Reducing Preoperative Anxiety in Outpatient Surgery. Outpatient Surgery: a Before-and-after Study

TypeinterventionalSponsorHopital FochRan2024 to 2024Enrolled198ConditionsAmbulatory SurgeryArmsmusic therapy
NCT06667596 withdrawnnot on this mapstarted 2025, after this paper: background citation

The Effect of Anaesthesia Technique on Preoperative Fear of Death and Anxiety in Upper Extremity Surgery Patients

Typeobservational_patient_registrySponsorBaşakşehir Çam & Sakura City HospitalRan2025 to 2026Enrolled0ConditionsPreoperative Anxiety
NCT07559461 recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2026, after this paper: background citation

Fear and Anesthesia: How Anxiety and Fear in Anesthesia-Naïve Patients Changes From Preop to Postop

TypeobservationalSponsorStony Brook UniversityRan2026 to 2027Enrolled40ConditionsAnxiety, Anesthesia AwarenessArmsSurvey using a questionnaire.
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

103 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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  19. Anxiety disorders in China and G20 countries: A comparative burden study.The Journal of international medical research · 2026
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  20. Observational

43 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Leopold EberhartPhilipps-University Marburg, Biegenstraße 10, 35037, Marburg, Germany.
Hansjörg AustPhilipps-University Marburg, Biegenstraße 10, 35037, Marburg, Germany.
Maike SchusterPhilipps-University Marburg, Biegenstraße 10, 35037, Marburg, Germany.
Theresa SturmPhilipps-University Marburg, Biegenstraße 10, 35037, Marburg, Germany.
Markus GehlingPhilipps-University Marburg, Biegenstraße 10, 35037, Marburg, Germany.
Frank EuteneuerDepartment of Psychology, Medical School Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
Dirk RüschPhilipps-University Marburg, Biegenstraße 10, 35037, Marburg, Germany. ruesch@med.uni-marburg.de.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPreoperative anxiety comprising anesthesia and surgery related anxiety is common and perceived by many patients as the worst aspect of the surgical episode. The aim of this study was to identify independent predictors of these three anxieties dimensions and to quantify the relevance of specific fears particularly associated with anesthesia.

methodsThis study was part of a cross-sectional survey in patients scheduled to undergo elective surgery. Anxiety levels were measured with the Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale (APAIS). Modified numeric rating scales (mNRS, range 0-10) were used to assess the severity of eight selected specific fears which were predominantly analyzed descriptively. Multivariate stepwise linear regression was applied to determine independent predictors of all three anxiety dimensions (APAIS anxiety subscales).

results3087 of the 3200 enrolled patients were analyzed. Mean (SD) total preoperative anxiety (APAIS-A-T, range 4-20) was 9.9 (3.6). High anxiety (APAIS-A-T > 10) was reported by 40.5% of subjects. Mean (SD) levels of concern regarding the eight studied specific fears ranged from 3.9 (3.08) concerning "Anesthesiologist error" to 2.4 (2.29) concerning "Fatigue and drowsiness" with an average of 3.2 (2.84) concerning all specific fears. Ranking of all specific fears according to mean mNRS scores was almost identical in patients with high versus those with low anxiety. Among nine independent predictors of anxiety, only 3 variables (female gender, negative and positive anesthetic experience) independently predicted all three APAIS anxiety subscales. Other variables had a selective impact on one or two APAIS anxiety subscales only. Female gender had the strongest impact on all three APAIS anxiety subscales. Adjusted r

conclusionsThe high variability of importance assigned to all specific fears suggests an individualized approach is advisable when support of anxious patients is intended. Considering independent predictors of anxiety to estimate each patient's anxiety level is of limited use given the very low predictive capacity of all three models. The clinical benefit of dividing patients into those with high and low anxiety is questionable.

trial registrationGerman Registry of Clinical Trials (DRKS00016725), retrospectively registered.

Indexed as

AdultAnesthesiaAnxietyCross-Sectional StudiesElective Surgical ProceduresFatigueFearFemaleHumansLinear ModelsMaleMiddle AgedPreoperative PeriodPsychiatric Status Rating ScalesRegistriesRisk FactorsAnesthesia related anxietyCross-sectional surveyIndependent predictorsMultivariate regressionPreoperative anxietySpecific concernsSurgery related anxiety

Identifiers

PMID32228525
PMCPMC7106568

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Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.