Type-D personality predicts chronic anxiety following percutaneous coronary intervention in the drug-eluting stent era

Background y is an often overlooked risk factor in coronary artery disease (CAD). Hence, little is known about predictors of unremitting chronic anxiety in CAD patients. We examined whether the distressed personality (type-D) predicts chronic anxiety post percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). s cted patients (n = 167) treated with PCI using sirolimus-eluting or bare metal stents as part of the RESEARCH registry, who were anxious 6 months post-PCI, qualified for inclusion. Patients completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale at 6 and 12 months and the Type-D Scale (DS14) 6 months post-PCI. s patients anxious at 6 months, 108 (65%) were still anxious 12 months post-PCI. Significant univariable predictors of chronic anxiety were type-D personality (OR: 3.17; 95% CI: 1.64–6.14) and sirolimus-eluting stent implantation (OR: 0.51; 95% CI: 0.27–0.98), with sirolimus-eluting stent showing a protective effect. In multivariable analyses, type-D personality (OR: 3.31; 95% CI: 1.59–6.87) and sirolimus-eluting stent implantation (OR: 0.44; 95% CI: 0.21–0.92) remained significant independent predictors of chronic anxiety adjusting for depressive symptoms at 6 months, demographic and clinical risk factors. tions ychological measures were based on self-report, and we had no information on cardiac rehabilitation or use of pharmacotherapy; however our sample represented patients seen in daily clinical practice. sions findings suggest that type-D personality is a risk factor and sirolimus-eluting stent implantation a protective factor for the occurrence of chronic anxiety. The protective effect of sirolimus-eluting stents in relation to anxiety warrants replication in future studies.