Salivary cortisol levels and anxiety in melanoma patients undergoing sentinel lymph node excision under local anesthesia versus general anesthesia: a prospective study

Table 2 State anxiety levels

STAI-S score	LA (n = 42)	GA (n = 20)	P value^a
Preoperative, 3 days (T1)	42.4 ± 2.2	42.2 ± 3.1	0.96
Preoperative, 2 days (T2)	44.4 ± 2.1	45.7 ± 3.5	0.74
Preoperative, 30 min (T3)	48.2 ± 2.1	48.5 ± 3.3	0.93
Postoperative, 2 days (T6)	35.5 ± 1.5	36.9 ± 2.4	0.61

Data are presented as mean ± SEM
^aData were analyzed by repeated measure ANOVA (time effect: F = 25.65, p < 0.001; group effect: F = 25.65, p = 0.82; time × group interaction: F = 0.15, p = 0.93) followed by post hoc independent t tests
LA local anesthesia, GA general anesthesia, STAI-S State-Trait Anxiety Inventory situation

ISSN: 1477-7819