Psychiatric Status After Hysterectomy

To the Editor.— In reference to Psychiatric Status After Hysterectomy by Martin et al (1980;244:350), all research should consider alternative hypotheses to explain differences found. May I suggest that patients scheduled for any major surgery within 72 hours have elevated anxiety levels that have realistic origins and are not caused by their uteri. This study could avoid this criticism by giving the psychiatric evaluations to patients scheduled for comparable major surgery and vasectomies to establish the importance of these variables.