title: Optimism measured pre-operatively is associated with reduced pain intensity and physical symptom reporting after coronary artery bypass graft surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Optimism is thought to be associated with long-term favourable outcomes for patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Our objective was to examine the association between optimism and post-operative pain and physical symptoms in CABG patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed optimism pre-operatively in 197 adults undergoing CABG surgery, and then followed them up 6-8 weeks after the procedure to measure affective pain, pain intensity, and physical symptom reporting directly pertaining to CABG surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Greater optimism measured pre-operatively was significantly associated with lower pain intensity (β=-0.150, CI=-0.196 to -0.004, p=.042) and fewer physical symptoms following surgery (β=-0.287, CI=-0.537 to -0.036, p=.025), but not with affective pain, after controlling for demographic, clinical and behavioural covariates, including negative affectivity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Optimism is a modest, yet significant, predictor of pain intensity and physical symptom reporting after CABG surgery. Having positive expectations may promote better recovery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom. Electronic address: a.ronaldson@ucl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ronaldson
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Lydia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Poole
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Tara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kidd
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Leigh
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery, St. George's Hospital, University of London, Blackshaw Road, London SW17 0QT, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Marjan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jahangiri
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Steptoe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D000368:Aged; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010551:Personality; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D057234:Preoperative Period; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
keywords: Coronary artery bypass graft surgery; Optimism; Pain; Pessimism; Physical symptoms