Infective endocarditis and thoracic aortic disease: A review on forgotten psychological aspects

AIM: To summarize the current evidence on psychological issues in thoracic aortic disease (TAD) and infective endocarditis (IE) setting. METHODS: We performed a narrative review about psychological issues in adults with IE and TAD. Through the electronic databases, PubMed and PsycINFO, we searched full manuscripts in English and published until September 1, 2014. RESULTS: We found sixteen studies exploring psychological issues in patients with IE (six studies) and in TAD (ten papers). Psychological issues assessed were quality of life, depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder. Quality of life was explored in IE (four papers) and in TAD (eight papers). Depression and anxiety were analyzed in TAD only (five papers). Post-traumatic stress disorder was assessed in IE (one study). Quality of life was found impaired in three of four studies about IE and in three of eight studies about TAD. Posttraumatic stress disorder was present in 11% and was associated with lower levels of quality of life in IE patients. In TAD patients, anxiety and depression levels after different invasive interventions did not differ. CONCLUSION: Sixteen studies report about psychological issues in IE and TAD. Most of them explore quality of life and to a less extent anxiety and depression.