Abstract
Introduction and Objectives:Heart failure (HF) is associated with a high prevalence of unwanted loneliness. This study aimed to assess the risk factors associated with unwanted loneliness and its association with the risk of adverse clinical events in a cohort of patients with HF.
Methods: We included 298 patients diagnosed with stable HF. Clinical, biochemical, echocardiographic parameters and loneliness using ESTE II scale were assessed. We analyzed risk factors using multivariate logistic regression. We evaluated the association with the risk of recurrent all-cause admissions using negative binomial regression accounting for the risk of death.
Results: The mean age was 75.8±9.4 years, with 111 (37.2%) being women, 53 (17.8%) widowed, and 154 (51.7%) patients having preserved ejection fraction. The median (p25% - p75%) ESTE II score was 9.0 (6.0 – 12.0), and 36.9% experienced loneliness. Both women (OR=2.09; 95% CI: 1.11 to 3.98, p=0.023) and widowhood (OR=3.25; 95% CI: 1.51 to 7.01, p=0.003) were associated with a higher risk of loneliness. During follow-up, loneliness was significantly associated with increased all-cause hospitalizations (IRR=2.05; 95% CI: 1.24-3.40, p=0.005).
Conclusions: Women and widowhood emerge as risk factors for unwanted loneliness in HF patients. Unwanted loneliness is associated with higher morbidity during follow-up.