State and trait anxiety in patients affected by nasal polyposis before and after medical treatment.

The present study aimed to establish whether anxiety and depression in nasal polyposis play a role in genesis of the disease, or are a consequence of symptoms. Anxiety levels were evaluated in state and trait forms, and depression, in 30 consecutive patients presenting nasal polyposis before and after effective 7 months' medical treatment with nasal mometasone, loratadine and montelukast. Before and at the end of treatment, patients were asked to fill in the State and Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Zung self-rating depression scale. In 63.15% of patients with high levels of state anxiety before therapy, these were reduced (p < 0.004) after treatment. In 61.9% of patients with high levels of trait anxiety before treatment, these were reduced (p < 0.002) after treatment. There were no significant differences in depression. Anxiety in nasal polyposis is present both as a state and as a trait, and is significantly reduced after effective medical treatment, showing that anxiety is a reversible consequence of nasal polyposis in most cases.