Influence of Anxiety and Depression Symptoms on the Quality of Life in Patients Undergoing Lumbar Spine Surgery

Objective: Comparative analysis of the quality of life and functionality of patients undergoing lumbar spine arthrodesis due to degenerative lumbar spine disease. The authors sought to correlate the influence of anxious and depressive symptoms before and after surgery.

Methods: A prospective cohort study was performed, with 32 patients submitted to arthrodesis due to degenerative lumbar spine disease and the visual analogue pain scale pain questionnaire, the Oswestry Disability Index questionnaire, the Medical Outcomes Survey Short Form questionnaire - 36 items (SF-36), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, applied in the preoperative period and four months after the procedure.

Results: There was improvement in the mean scores of the visual analogue pain scale ( < 0.001) and the Oswestry Disability Index ( < 0.001). In the preoperative period, the variables that presented a difference between patients with and without anxiety symptoms were the SF-36 domains of general health ( = 0.031), social aspects ( = 0.008), and mental health ( = 0.035). In the postoperative period, patients without anxiety symptoms showed better results in the vitality ( = 0.004), social aspects ( = 0.001), mental health ( < 0.001), and pain ( = 0.011) domains. In the preoperative period, the variable that presented a difference between patients with and without depression was the SF-36 domain of emotional aspects ( = 0.022). In the post-operative period, patients without depression presented better vitality ( < 0.001), social aspects ( < 0.001), emotional aspects ( = 0.004), and mental health results ( = 0.001).

Conclusion: Lumbar spine arthrodesis was effective in improving pain, low back pain, functional capacity, limitation due to physical aspects, vitality, and social and emotional aspects. Patients without anxiety and depression symptoms had better results on the scales compared to those with such symptoms.