Optimism measured pre-operatively is associated with reduced pain intensity and physical symptom reporting after coronary artery bypass graft surgery

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 (beta = -0.150, CI = -0.196 to -0.004, p = .042) and fewer physical symptoms following surgery (beta = -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. (C) 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc.