The impact of marital status on mortality and length of stay in patients admitted with acute coronary syndrome

Relationship satisfaction and psychological wellbeing in men having participated in the MindTheHeart® psychoeducation intervention after an acute coronary syndrome

This study investigated the associations of relationship satisfaction, depression, and anxiety post-acute coronary syndrome in a sample of men having completed an early, couple-focused, and men-tailored psychoeducation intervention. A baseline sample of 50 male patients were followed over a 12-month period and completed the Couples Satisfaction Index and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale. Results revealed a significant improvement in depression symptoms from T0 to T1, during which all participants completed the MindTheHeart® psychoeducation intervention. In addition, a hierarchical regression analysis showed that relationship satisfaction is an important predictor of this improvement in depression symptoms. Our preliminary findings point to the consideration of life partners in post-ACS interventions and encourage the exploration of this clinical approach in future research.

The Association between Marital Status and Outcomes of Patients Hospitalized with Heart Failure

BACKGROUND

Little is known about the association between marital status and long-term outcomes of patients hospitalized with heart failure (HF). We aimed to examine the association between marital status and early as well as long-term outcomes of patients hospitalized with HF.

METHOD

We analyzed data of 4089 patients hospitalized with HF and were enrolled in the multicenter national survey in Israel between March and April 2003 and were followed until December 2014. Patients were classified into married (N = 2462, 60%) and unmarried (N = 1627, 40%).

RESULTS

Married patients were more likely to be males, younger, and more likely to have past myocardial infarction and previous revascularization. Also, they tended to have higher rates of diabetes mellitus (DM) and dyslipidemia, as well as smokers. Survival analysis showed that unmarried patients had higher mortality rates at 1 and 10 years (33% vs. 25%, at 1 year, 89% vs. 80% at 10 years, all p < 0.001). Consistently, multivariable analysis showed that unmarried patients had independently 44% and 35% higher risk of mortality at 1- and 10-year follow-up respectively (1-year HR = 1.44; 95%CI 1.14-1.81; p = 0.002, 10-year HR = 1.35; 95%CI 1.19-1.53; p ≤ 0.001). Other consistent predictors of mortality at both 1- and 10-year follow-up include age, renal failure, and advanced HF.

CONCLUSIONS

Being unmarried is independently associated with worse short- and long-term outcomes, particularly among women. Thus, attempts to intensify secondary preventive measures should focus mainly on unmarried patients and mainly women.

The influence of partners on successful lifestyle modification in patients with coronary artery disease

BACKGROUND

Marital status is associated with prognosis in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, the influence of partners on successful modification of lifestyle-related risk factors (LRFs) in secondary CVD prevention is unclear. Therefore, we studied the association between the presence of a partner, partner participation in lifestyle interventions and LRF modification in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).

METHODS

In a secondary analysis of the RESPONSE-2 trial (n = 711), which compared nurse-coordinated referral to community-based lifestyle programs (smoking cessation, weight reduction and/or physical activity) to usual care in patients with CAD, we investigated the association between the presence of a partner and the level of partner participation on improvement in >1 LRF (urinary cotinine <200 ng/l, ≥5% weight reduction, ≥10% increased 6-min walking distance) without deterioration in other LRFs at 12 months follow-up.

RESULTS

The proportion of patients with a partner was 80% (571/711); 19% women (108/571). In the intervention group, 48% (141/293) had a participating partner in ≥1 lifestyle program. Overall, the presence of a partner was associated with patients' successful LRF modification (adjusted risk ratio (aRR) 1.93, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.40-2.51). A participating partner was associated with successful weight reduction (aRR 1.73, 95% CI 1.15-2.35).

CONCLUSION

The presence of a partner is associated with LRF improvement in patients with CAD. Moreover, patients with partners participating in lifestyle programs are more successful in reducing weight. Involving partners of CAD patients in weight reduction interventions should be considered in routine practice.

Cost of hospitalisation and length of stay due to hypoglycaemia in patients with diabetes mellitus: a cross-sectional study

Objective:

This study aims to estimate the length of stay and hospitalisation cost of hypoglycaemia, and to identify determinants of variation in the length of stay and hospitalisation cost among individual patients with type 1 or 2 diabetes mellitus.

Methods:

A cross-sectional study was conducted using inpatients records for patients with diabetes mellitus who had been hospitalised due to hypoglycaemic events in two private hospitals in Amman, Jordan between January 2009 and May 2017. All hospitalisation costs were inflated to the equivalent costs in 2017. Hospitalisation cost was estimated from the patient’s perspective in Jordanian dinars (JOD). Descriptive analyses and correlation between sociodemographic or clinical characteristics with the cost and length of stay were explored. Predictors of hypoglycaemic hospitalisation cost and length of stay were determined using logistic regression.

Results:

During the study period a total of 126 patients with diabetes mellitus were hospitalised due to an incident of hypoglycaemia. The mean patient age was 64.2 (SD=19.6) years; half were male. Patients admitted for hypoglycaemia stayed in hospital for a median duration of two days (IQR=2 days). The median cost of hospitalisation for hypoglycaemia was 163.2 JOD (USD 230.1) (IQR=216.3 JOD). We found that the Glasgow coma score was positively associated with length of stay (0.345, p=0.008), and older age was correlated with higher hospitalisation cost (0.207, p=0.02). Patients with a family history of diabetes had higher hospitalisation costs and longer duration of stay (0.306 and 0.275, p<0.05). In addition, being a male patient (0.394, p<0.05) and with an absence of smoking history was associated with longer duration of stay (0.456, p<0.01), but not with higher hospitalisation cost.

Conclusions:

Costs associated with the incidence of hypoglycaemic events are not low and constitute a large cost component of managing and treating diabetes mellitus. Male patients and patients having a family history of diabetes should receive extra care and education on the prevention of hypoglycaemic events, and a treatment de-intensification approach should be considered if necessary, so we can prevent its associated hospitalisation costs and length of stay.

Learning a new way of living together: a qualitative study exploring the relationship changes and intervention needs of patients with cardiovascular disease and their partners

OBJECTIVES

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) not only affects the patient, but has implications for the partner. Emerging evidence suggests that supportive couple relationships enhance CVD outcomes and reduce patient and partner distress. To date, however, little research has been done to address the couple relationship as a potentially important component of cardiac care. This article examines the impact of CVD on the couple relationship and assesses the perceived needs and desired intervention components of patients with CVD and their partners.

DESIGN

Qualitative study using directed and conventional content analysis.

SETTING

Single-centre, tertiary cardiac care hospital that serves a population of 1.4 million in the Champlain region of Ontario, Canada.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients with CVD and their partners (n=32, 16 couples) participated in focus groups. Patients were mainly male (75%), white (87.5%), aged 64.4 years (range 31-81 years), with varied cardiac diagnoses (50% coronary artery disease; 18.75% valve disease; 18.75% heart failure; 12.5% arrhythmia).

RESULTS

Five categories were generated from the data reflecting changes within the couple relationship as a result of CVD: (1) emotional and communication disconnection; (2) overprotection of the patient; (3) role changes; (4) adjustment to lifestyle changes; and (5) positive relationship changes. Three categories were constructed regarding intervention needs and desired resources: (1) practical resources; (2) sharing with peers; and (3) relationship enhancement.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, the data suggest that there were profound changes in the couple relationship as a result of CVD, and that there is considerable need to better support the caregiving spouses and the couple as a unit. These results call for interventions designed to provide instrumental support, peer-sharing opportunities and relationship quality enhancement to help couples cope with CVD. Future studies should examine whether couples-based programming embedded into cardiac rehabilitation can be effective at improving relationship quality and reducing patient and partner stress in the aftermath of a cardiac event.

Marital Status, Cardiovascular Diseases, and Cardiovascular Risk Factors: A Review of the Evidence

BACKGROUND

There is evidence showing that marital status (MS) and marital disruption (i.e., separation, divorce, and being widowed) are associated with poor physical health outcomes, including for all-cause mortality. We checked for the available evidence on the association between MS and cardiovascular (CV) diseases, outcomes, and CV risk factors.

METHODS

A search across the PubMed database of all articles, including the term "marital status" in their title, was performed. All articles were then manually checked for the presence of the following terms or topic: CV diseases, acute myocardial infarction, acute coronary syndrome, coronary artery disease, cardiac arrest, heart failure, heart diseases, and CV mortality. Moreover, other search terms were: CV risk factors, hypertension, cholesterol, obesity, smoking, alcohol, fitness and/or physical activity, and health. Systematic reviews, meta-analyses, controlled trials, cohort studies, and case-control studies were potentially considered pertinent for inclusion. Case reports, comments, discussion letters, abstracts of scientific conferences, articles in other than English language, and conference abstracts or proceedings were excluded.

RESULTS

In total, 817 references containing the title words "marital status" were found. After elimination of articles dealing with other topics, 70 records were considered pertinent. Twenty-two were eliminated for several reasons, such as old articles, no abstract, full text unavailable, other than English language, comments, and letters. Out of the remaining 48 articles, 13 were suitable for the discussion, and 35 (accounting for 1,245,967 subjects) were included in this study.

CONCLUSIONS

Most studies showed better outcomes for married persons, and men who were single generally had the poorest results. Moreover, being married was associated with lower risk factors and better health status, even in the presence of many confounding effects.