Postoperative Anxiety and Depression Among Chinese Elderly Patients

The goal of this observational study is to learn about the prevalence of postoperative anxiety and depression symptoms and identify the related risk factors in elderly patients aged 65 and older who undergo non-cardiac surgery in China.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

What is the prevalence rate of postoperative anxiety symptoms in elderly Chinese patients after non-cardiac surgery?

What is the prevalence rate of postoperative depression symptoms in elderly Chinese patients after non-cardiac surgery?

What are the risk and protective factors linked to postoperative anxiety and depression symptoms in this patient population?

Participants will undergo routine non-cardiac surgery as part of their standard medical care, and researchers will collect relevant clinical data and assess their anxiety and depression symptoms using standardized screening scales after surgery.

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Key information

Conditions

Depression Anxiety Anxiety Disorders Behavior Behavioral Symptoms Mental Disorders

Age range

65 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

First Medical center of Chinese PLA General Hospital

Beijing, Beijing Municipality, 100853, China

About this study

This is a multicenter, retrospective observational study conducted across 19 medical centers in China, enrolling a total of 8590 elderly patients aged 65 years and above who received non-cardiac surgery between April 1, 2020, and April 30, 2022. The study was designed to fill the gap of lacking comprehensive epidemiological data on postoperative mental health disorders in this specific patient group in China, focusing on postoperative anxiety and depression symptoms that are tied to various adverse medical and social outcomes.

Who can participate

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

elderly patients (age ≥ 65 years)
undergoing elective surgery with a planned overnight hospital stay following surgery
non-cardiac surgery, non-neurosurgical surgery
patients who complete the scale assessment

Exclusion criteria

patients fully refused to participate in the study
patients with severe dementia, language disorder, severe hearing or visual impairment, coma, and end-stage status
patients whose surgeries were canceled
history of previous severe mental illness or long-term use of psychotropic medications
patients admitted to ICU immediately after surgery
patients who died within 7 days after surgery

Treatment and study plan

Primary outcomes

Depression

Time frame: within 7 days after surgery

Primary outcomes were depression Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9).The PHQ-9 is a nine-item questionnaire for screening on the presence of depressive symptoms and monitoring depression severity. Items were scored on a four-point scale with total scores ranging from zero to twenty-seven. Scores were defined as: ≥5 mild, ≥10 moderate, and ≥15 severe level of depression. The recommended screening cutoff was ≥10, corresponding with at least a moderate level of depression. The higher the score, the worse the situation. The total score ranges from 0 to 27, and higher scores indicate more depressive symptoms.
Anxiety

Time frame: within 7 days after surgery

The GAD-7 is a seven-item questionnaire for screening on the presence of generalized anxiety disorder and assessing its severity. Items were scored on a four-point scale with total scores ranging from zero to twenty-one. Scores were defined as: ≥5 mild, ≥10 moderate, and ≥15 severe anxiety. The recommended screening cutoff was ≥10, corresponding with at least a moderate level of anxiety. Higher scores mean more anxiety.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Chinese PLA General Hospital

Other

Collaborators

Beijing Anzhen Hospital
Beijing Tiantan Hospital
Central South University
China-Japan Friendship Hospital
First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University
First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University
Fudan University
Peking University First Hospital
Peking University People's Hospital
Shanghai Zhongshan Hospital
Sun Yat-sen University
Taihe Hospital
The Affiliated Hospital Of Guizhou Medical University
The Affiliated Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School
Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
Xiangya Hospital of Central South University
Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital
Zhejiang University

Registry information

Official study title

Prevalence and Risk Factors for Postoperative Anxiety and Depression Symptoms in Non-cardiac Surgery Among Chinese Elderly Patients

Important dates

Study start: 2020
Primary completion: 2022
Study completion: 2022
First posted: Apr 15, 2026
Registry last updated: Apr 30, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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