OBJECTIVEWe previously showed that factorial score of somatization, which was obtained by the examination of symptom checklist-90 (SCL-90), was higher in patients received transfemoral coronary catheterization than norm. The aim of the present study was to compare the patient's psychologic status between transradial approach and transfemoral approach percutaneous coronary catheterizations.

METHODSA total of 198 inpatients (105 transfemoral, 93 transradial) underwent scheduled first time coronary catheterizations were enrolled. All patients were studied by symptom SCL-90 on present psychologic status 24 hours before and 24-48 hours after coronary catheterizations.

RESULTSAge, sex, weight, smokers, employment, educational background, marriage status, family relations, family history of cardiovascular disease, income and medical insurance status were similar between the two groups. There was also no difference in diabetes, hypertension history as well as coronary heart disease confirmed by coronary catheterization between the 2 groups. Compared with the status before the procedure, factorial scores of somatization, obsessive-compulsive, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, hostility, global severity index and total positive symptoms were significantly reduced after percutaneous coronary catheterizations (1.50 +/- 0.51 vs. 1.64 +/- 0.53, 1.50 +/- 0.48 vs. 1.67 +/- 0.55, 1.28 +/- 0.41 vs. 1.38 +/- 0.49, 1.42 +/- 0.43 vs. 1.55 +/- 0.53, 1.38 +/- 0.41 vs. 1.58 +/- 0.54, 1.32 +/- 0.35 vs. 1.44 +/- 0.41, 1.38 +/- 0.34 vs. 1.49 +/- 0.42, and 23.08 +/- 17.30 vs. 27.72 +/- 18.79, respectively, P all < 0.05). Scores on somatization, depression and positive symptom severity index were significantly lower in patients received transradial coronary catheterizations than those received transfemoral coronary catheterization approach (1.52 +/- 0.51 vs. 1.62 +/- 0.53, 1.43 +/- 0.54 vs. 1.54 +/- 0.43 and 2.36 +/- 0.66 vs. 2.50 +/- 0.43, respectively, P all < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONPatients' psychologic status improved significantly after percutaneous coronary catheterizations. Improvement on psychologic status is significantly better in patients underwent transradial coronary catheterizations than that underwent transfemoral coronary catheterizations.