Coronary Artery Disease and Loneliness: A Cross-Sectional Analysis using the Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale

Tanzim Bhuiya; Jonathan H. Sussman; Francis O'Neill; Tashina Dussie; Gerard Dichiara; Joseph Abraham; Roman Zeltser; Amgad N. Makaryus

doi:10.1055/a-2552-8626

International Journal of Angiology, Table of Contents

Int J Angiol
DOI: 10.1055/a-2552-8626

Original Article

Coronary Artery Disease and Loneliness: A Cross-Sectional Analysis using the Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale

Tanzim Bhuiya

¹Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

,

Jonathan H. Sussman

¹Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

,

Francis O'Neill

²Department of Cardiology, Nassau University Medical Center, Hempstead, New York

,

Tashina Dussie

³Northwell, Cardiovascular Institute, New Hyde Park, New York

,

Gerard Dichiara

²Department of Cardiology, Nassau University Medical Center, Hempstead, New York

,

Joseph Abraham

²Department of Cardiology, Nassau University Medical Center, Hempstead, New York

,

Roman Zeltser

³Northwell, Cardiovascular Institute, New Hyde Park, New York

⁴Department of Cardiology, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York

,

Amgad N. Makaryus

³Northwell, Cardiovascular Institute, New Hyde Park, New York

⁴Department of Cardiology, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York

⁵Plainview Hospital, Plainview, New York

› Author Affiliations

Abstract

Background

Loneliness has been identified as an important psychosocial factor associated with cardiovascular disease, but the relationship has been underexplored using validated measures.

Materials and Methods

This cross-sectional study analyzed 92 patients from 2018 to 2019 using the Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale to evaluate associations between loneliness and coronary artery disease (CAD). Statistical analysis was performed using R v4.4.0. A multivariate logistic regression model assessed the relationship between loneliness scores and CAD, adjusting for age and race/ethnicity. A one-sided Wilcoxon rank-sum test compared loneliness scores between CAD and non-CAD patients.

Results

Age was significantly associated with CAD (odds ratio [OR]: 1.05, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01–1.08, p = 0.0084), whereas loneliness score showed a trend toward significance (OR: 1.03, 95% CI: 0.99–1.07, p = 0.140). No significant associations were found between race/ethnicity or sex and loneliness. In a subgroup analysis of patients ≥ 55 years, loneliness was significantly associated with CAD (OR: 1.06, 95% CI: 1.00–1.12, p = 0.04), whereas age was not (p = 0.378). Patients aged ≥ 55 years with CAD had significantly higher loneliness scores than those without CAD (p = 0.044), whereas no significant difference was observed in patients < 55 years (p = 0.87).

Conclusion

While loneliness was not independently associated with CAD in the overall cohort, it was significantly associated with CAD in patients aged ≥ 55 years. This suggests that loneliness may be a relevant factor in cardiovascular health among older adults. This emphasizes the need for health care providers to consider loneliness as a potential risk factor for CAD, alongside traditional risk factors.

Keywords

loneliness - coronary artery disease - risk factors - Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale

Full Text

References

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