Psychosocial characteristics such as depression and social isolation contribute to morbidity and mortality in heart failure patients and may affect the prognosis of heart transplant candidates.
How do psychosocial and behavioural factors affect morbidity, mortality, and prognosis in heart transplant candidates?
Psychosocial and behavioral factors like depression and physical activity impact the clinical status of heart transplant candidates, highlighting the need for behavioral interventions.
Mortality among heart transplant (HTX) candidates remains high. This review of the literature shows that psychosocial characteristics like depression, social isolation and coping strategies contribute to morbidity and mortality in heart failure (HF) patients, and may also be relevant to the prognosis of HTX candidates. Based on the research to date, physical activity favourably affects subjective and objective parameters not only in HF patients, but also in HTX candidates. Depression is prevalent among HTX candidates, especially in ischaemic patients, and seems to be related to earlier transplantation. Findings on the effects of depression on pretransplant mortality are conflicting. Not much is known concerning social isolation, coping, nutrition, or weight loss in this patient group. Identification of modifiable psychosocial and behavioural variables related to clinical status in this patient group is clearly needed and will aid the development of behavioural interventions to supplement medical therapies.
Spaderna et al. (Sun,) conducted a review in Heart transplant candidates. Psychosocial and behavioural factors was evaluated on Morbidity and mortality. Psychosocial characteristics such as depression and social isolation contribute to morbidity and mortality in heart failure patients and may affect the prognosis of heart transplant candidates.