Key result
Ischemic heart disease diagnosis is linked to ~54% lower rates of sustainable working life.
Why the study?
The study sought to explore sustainable working life before and after an ischemic heart disease (IHD) diagnosis while accounting for genetics, early life environmental factors, sex, and common mental disorders.
Does an ischemic heart disease diagnosis reduce the probability of a sustainable working life in working-age Swedish twins aged 20–60 years?
Cohort (n=5,787)
Yes
Does an ischemic heart disease diagnosis reduce the probability of a sustainable working life in working-age Swedish twins aged 20–60 years?
Working-age individuals diagnosed with ischemic heart disease experience a reduced probability of maintaining a sustainable working life post-diagnosis regardless of sex or prior common mental disorders, an association partially influenced by genetic and early-life familial factors.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
May warrant vocational support after IHD diagnosis; leaves open whether targeted interventions preserve sustainable working life.
This study explored sustainable working life before and after an ischemic heart disease (IHD) diagnosis, considering genetics and early life environmental factors, and explored differences by sex and common mental disorders (CMDs). A prospective cohort of Swedish twins aged 20–60 years included 1929 individuals diagnosed with IHD and 3858 matched controls. Sustainable working life was assessed using national register data over six year. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) were used to calculate odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Conditional models for complete twin pairs accounted for genetic and early life environmental confounding. Analyses were stratified by sex and CMDs. We found that both those with and without IHD had a decreased probability of sustainable working life three years after the cohort entry year, with IHD patients showing a slightly lower probability. No significant differences were observed based on sex or CMDs. In conditional models, associations between IHD and sustainable working life were attenuated among monozygotic twins, suggesting genetic and early life environmental influences. IHD is associated with a lower probability of sustainable working life after diagnosis. Findings highlight the importance of considering genetic and early life factors in understanding the effects of IHD on sustainable working life.
Wang et al. (2026) conducted a cohort in Ischemic heart disease (IHD) (n=5,787). Ischemic heart disease (IHD) diagnosis vs. Matched twin controls without IHD diagnosis (or pre-diagnosis reference year t-1) was evaluated on Sustainable working life (engaged in paid work without >180 days of sickness absence, disability pension, or unemployment, and not on old-age pension) in the near-inclusion period (year t+1 vs. t-1) (RR 0.46, 95% CI 0.40-0.54). Ischemic heart disease diagnosis was associated with a sharper decline in sustainable working life from 1 year before to 1 year after diagnosis (RR 0.46, 95% CI 0.40-0.54) compared to matched controls (RR 0.76, 95% CI 0.66-0.86).