title: Effects of preoperative anxiety on gastric fluid acidity and volume.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of preoperative anxiety on the gastric pH and volume. We studied 96 female patients aged 16-60 yr who underwent elective gynecological surgery. We classified the subjects into 2 groups, those presenting preoperative anxiety scores using visual analogue scale (VAS, 0-10) less than 5 (L-group, n=59), and those with 5 and more (H-group, n=37). Immediately after tracheal intubation, gastric contents were aspirated using a 14-F multiorifice nasogastric tube. The gastric acidity and volume of the two groups were not statistically different. Mean pH were 3.0 +/-1.8 and 3.0 +/-2.0 in each group (L-group and H-group) and mean gastric volume (mL) were 15.3 +/-11.7 and 11.8 +/-11.8, respectively. Nine (15.3%) patients in the L-group were considered to be 'at risk i.e. gastric pH <2.5 and volume >25 mL' and one patient (2.7%) in the H-group (p <0.05). The mean serum gastrin concentrations in both groups were similar (21.6 +/-9.8 vs. 20.2 +/-11.0 pg/mL). The pH and volume of preoperative gastric contents were not correlated with the preoperative anxiety. The results suggest that a low level of preoperative anxiety can be considered a risk factor for aspiration pneumonitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Samsung Cheil Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University, School of Medicine, Seoul 100-380, Korea. jenyhongg@hanmail.net
authors.forename: Jeong-Yeon
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Jong In
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Oh
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005745:Gastric Acidity Determination; D005750:Gastric Juice / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged