Heart & Lung最新文献

{"title":"The relationship between care dependency and self-efficacy in older adult patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease","authors":"Zeynep Kaplan MSc ,&nbsp;Ezgi Mutluay Yayla PhD","doi":"10.1016/j.hrtlng.2025.07.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.hrtlng.2025.07.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a chronic, progressive and irreversible disease and is an important health problem with significant effects on the life status of older adult patients. However, the effect of care dependency on self-efficacy in older adult patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease has not been sufficiently investigated in the literature.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between care dependency and self-efficacy among older adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This descriptive, cross-sectional, and correlational study was conducted in chest diseases clinics and outpatient clinics of two hospitals in Duzce province, Turkey, from February 2023 to December 2023. The study included 102 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients aged 65 years and over meeting the inclusion criteria. Patient care dependency and self-efficacy were assessed using the “The Care Dependency Scale” and “Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Self-Efficacy Scale”. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 25.0.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Moderate levels of care dependency and self-efficacy were observed in older adults with COPD, with a mean Care Dependency Scale score of 41.3 ± 14.1 and a mean Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Self-Efficacy Scale score of 2.96 ± 0.61. A statistically significant, moderate negative correlation was found between care dependency and self-efficacy levels (<em>r</em> = -0.622, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.001). Care dependency scores accounted for 38% of the variance in self-efficacy scores (R² = 0.38).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>A moderate inverse relationship exists between self-efficacy and care dependency in COPD patients. Consequently, it is imperative that nurses conduct simultaneous evaluations of these factors in older adults with COPD and develop targeted training interventions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55064,"journal":{"name":"Heart & Lung","volume":"74 ","pages":"Pages 136-141"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144606169","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Serum homocysteine levels in stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Clinical value in severity assessment, diagnosis, and prognostic prediction","authors":"Jing Li ,&nbsp;Jinying Bao ,&nbsp;Xiaoao Liang ,&nbsp;Jiahong Chen ,&nbsp;Yong Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.hrtlng.2025.06.013","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.hrtlng.2025.06.013","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a critical public health problem globally.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study examines the role of serum Homocysteine (Hcy) in assessing severity and diagnosing stable COPD.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A total of 230 stable COPD patients were divided into mild (n=77), moderate (n=89), and severe (n=64) subgroups. We collected baseline and one-year follow-up data to evaluate prognosis. Serum Hcy levels were measured by ELISA. Correlations between serum Hcy levels and CAT scores, mMRC dyspnea index, and lung function were analyzed using Pearson/Spearman correlation analysis. ROC curves assessed the predictive value of serum Hcy for COPD and disease severity, while Kaplan-Meier analysis evaluated its impact on survival prognosis. A multivariate Cox regression model was employed for identification of risk factors for stable COPD.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Participants among three groups showed marked differences in smoking index, FEV1, FEV1/FVC ratio, WBC, NLR, RDW, fibrinogen (FIB), and D-dimer (D-D) levels. Serum Hcy levels correlated positively with CAT and mMRC scores and negatively with FEV1 (%, pred.) and FEV1/FVC ratio. Hcy served as a biomarker for COPD severity and differentiating moderate (AUC=0.756, sensitivity 75.28%, specificity 72.73%) and severe (AUC=0.873, sensitivity 78.12%, specificity 89.16%) cases. Higher serum Hcy was determined to be independent risk factors for worse prognosis of stable COPD.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Elevated serum Hcy levels serve as a biomarker for disease severity and an independent risk factor for unfavorable prognosis of stable COPD.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55064,"journal":{"name":"Heart & Lung","volume":"74 ","pages":"Pages 129-135"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144596258","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Inflammation markers associated with symptoms and neighborhood deprivation in black adults with heart failure","authors":"Brittany Butts PhD RN ,&nbsp;Christopher Herring BSN RN ,&nbsp;Andrea Madariaga BSN RN ,&nbsp;Lucinda J Graven PhD APRN ,&nbsp;Melinda K Higgins PhD ,&nbsp;Sandra B Dunbar PhD RN","doi":"10.1016/j.hrtlng.2025.07.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.hrtlng.2025.07.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Black adults face a higher prevalence of heart failure (HF), with greater symptom burden and earlier onset compared to other populations. Systemic inflammation and socioeconomic factors, including neighborhood deprivation, contribute to these disparities. Understanding the interplay between inflammation, HF symptoms, and social determinants of health is critical for addressing inequities in HF outcomes.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>This study examines associations between inflammatory biomarkers and physical and psychological symptoms in Black adults with HF and explores the impact of neighborhood deprivation on these factors.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Black adults with HF (<em>N</em> = 41) were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Blood samples were collected using Mitra Microsampling for biomarker analysis, including cytokines, chemokines, and xanthine oxidase (XO) activity. Symptoms were assessed using validated measures for dyspnea, fatigue, anxiety, depression, stress, and sleep disturbance. Neighborhood deprivation was evaluated using the Area Deprivation Index.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Elevated XO activity was significantly associated with dyspnea severity (β = 0.75, <em>p</em> &lt; .001). Chemokines linked to T cell activation (e.g., C<img>C motif ligand[CCL]-11, CXC motif ligand[CXCL]-8) correlated with HF symptoms and psychological distress, including anxiety and perceived stress. Higher neighborhood deprivation scores were associated with increased stress, sleep disturbance, and inflammatory biomarkers (e.g., interleukin[IL]-4, vascular cell adhesion molecule[VCAM]-1).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>This study highlights the role of inflammation and neighborhood deprivation in HF symptomatology among Black adults. Targeting oxidative stress and inflammatory pathways, alongside addressing social determinants of health, may reduce symptom burden and improve outcomes in this population.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55064,"journal":{"name":"Heart & Lung","volume":"74 ","pages":"Pages 121-128"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144579679","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Application of a data mining approach to predict cardiovascular disease risk in the Republic of Korea: The National Health Insurance Service-National Health Screening Cohort","authors":"Sooyoung Park PhD, RN ,&nbsp;Kathryn H. Bowles PhD, RN, FAAN, FACMI ,&nbsp;Sarah J. Ratcliffe PhD ,&nbsp;Connie M. Ulrich PhD, RN, FAAN","doi":"10.1016/j.hrtlng.2025.07.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.hrtlng.2025.07.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Risk prediction is critical for cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention and management. Existing CVD risk prediction models, including the Framingham Risk Score (FRS), are based on the Cox proportional hazard ratio regression. Adaptation of a data mining approach could improve the accuracy of CVD risk prediction by being free from the linearity assumption.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aimed to construct Korean population-based CVD risk prediction models using random survival forest and to compare their predictive accuracy to the FRS in a 14-year Korean cohort.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This was a secondary data analysis using a Korean population-based cohort. Out of 463,783 eligible participants, 70 % were selected for training dataset using stratified random sampling, the remaining 30 % served as test dataset. Random survival forest was adopted to build risk prediction models using the training dataset and the test dataset was used to test the validity of the new models and the FRS.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Three random forest-based models were developed. The random forest-based models were good in discrimination, with <em>c</em> statistics ranging from 0.698 to 0.747, while <em>c</em> statistics for the FRS were 0.692 and 0.733 in men and women, respectively. All random forest-based models showed good calibration, whereas the FRS tended to overestimate the CVD risk for men.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>The random survival forest-based models showed better performance with the FRS in a Korean population-based cohort. Continuous efforts are needed to improve the accuracy of CVD risk prediction for the Korean population and to utilize CVD risk prediction in clinical practice.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55064,"journal":{"name":"Heart & Lung","volume":"74 ","pages":"Pages 111-120"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144579678","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of short-term blood pressure variability on hospital readmission in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction","authors":"Yue Zhang ,&nbsp;Tianbo Wang ,&nbsp;Chenli Fang ,&nbsp;Jing Yang ,&nbsp;Junbo Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.hrtlng.2025.06.011","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.hrtlng.2025.06.011","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Few studies have examined the impact of blood pressure variability (BPV) on heart failure (HF) readmission in elderly HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>This study evaluated the association between short-term BPV and 1-year HF readmission in elderly HFpEF.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>From January 2020 to June 2023, 682 hospitalized HFpEF patients were included. Outcome was HF readmission within 1-year of post-discharge. Cox regression analysis was used to reveal the association of short-term BPV, including standard deviation (SD), weighted SD (wSD), and coefficient of variation (CV), with HF readmission.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of 682 HFpEF patients aged ≥60 years were included in the analysis, with a mean age of 78.71 years. For systolic BPV, higher daytime SD (≥10.34 mmHg) and CV (≥8.14 %) were associated with lower readmission risks after adjustment (HR 0.65, 95 % CI: 0.46–0.93, <em>p</em> = 0.020; HR 0.66, 95 % CI: 0.46–0.94, <em>p</em> = 0.022). 24-h SD (≥10.59 mmHg), wSD (≥10.07 mmHg) and CV (≥8.40 %) also showed reduced risks (HR 0.56, 95 % CI: 0.39–0.80, <em>p</em> = 0.001; HR 0.62, 95 % CI: 0.43–0.90, <em>p</em> = 0.012; HR 0.64, 95 % CI: 0.45–0.92, <em>p</em> = 0.015). For diastolic BPV, daytime SD (≥8.54 mmHg) and CV (≥11.44 %) were linked to lower readmission risks (HR 0.55, 95 % CI: 0.36–0.83; <em>p</em> = 0.005; HR 0.67, 95 % CI: 0.46–0.98; <em>p</em> = 0.038). Night-time SD (≥8.25 mmHg) and 24-hour SD (≥8.43 mmHg) further supported these findings (HR 0.57, 95 % CI: 0.37–0.88, <em>p</em> = 0.010; HR 0.57, 95 % CI: 0.39–0.84, <em>p</em> = 0.004).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Higher short-term BPV is associated with reduced 1-year HF readmission in elderly patients with HFpEF.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55064,"journal":{"name":"Heart & Lung","volume":"74 ","pages":"Pages 104-110"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144557657","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Linking obstructive sleep apnea with pulmonary hypertension via pooled prevalence and causal association: A systematic review, meta-analysis and Mendelian randomization","authors":"Dongru Du ,&nbsp;Jiangyue Qin ,&nbsp;Xueru Hu ,&nbsp;Dan Xu ,&nbsp;Lijuan Gao ,&nbsp;Yanqiu Wu ,&nbsp;Mei Chen ,&nbsp;Zhenni Chen ,&nbsp;Fengming Luo ,&nbsp;Yongchun Shen","doi":"10.1016/j.hrtlng.2025.06.009","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.hrtlng.2025.06.009","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The coexisting prevalence and causal associations between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and pulmonary hypertension (PH) warranted further investigations.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>To investigate the prevalence of PH in patients with OSA and OSA in patients with PH and reveal the bidirectional causal association between OSA and PH via Mendelian randomization (MR).</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Eligible records were selected from PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus. The pooled prevalence of PH in OSA patients and OSA in PH patients, as well as the clinical characteristics of patients with PH-OSA overlap were evaluated. MR data were obtained from the Integrative Epidemiology Unit and the Finngen cohort. The inverse variance weighted mode was applied as the main approach in the MR analysis. MR‒Egger regression, leave-one-out analysis and the Cochrane Q test were also conducted.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Thirteen studies with 1792 participants were included. The pooled prevalence of PH in OSA and OSA in PH reached 36 % and 34 %, respectively. Patients with OSA-PH overlap were associated with a lower FEV₁/FVC (%) compared with OSA patients without PH, and were associated with male sex, older age (year), greater body mass index (kg/m²) and greater apnea‒hypopnea index (n/h) compared with PH patients without OSA. The MR suggested that OSA has a causal effect on PH, whereas PH has no causal effect on OSA.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>OSA and PH are highly prevalent mutual comorbidities. OSA appears to be causally linked to PH. However, further prospective and mechanistic studies are required to confirm this directionality and determine the clinical impact.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55064,"journal":{"name":"Heart & Lung","volume":"74 ","pages":"Pages 82-89"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144523513","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Serum exosomal lncRNA LINC00472 combined with serum CK-MB and cTnI as diagnostic biomarker for acute myocardial infarction","authors":"Yingjun Zuo","doi":"10.1016/j.hrtlng.2025.06.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.hrtlng.2025.06.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) are two conventional biomarkers for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) but have low sensitivity for early AMI (6 h after onset).</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study delves into the diagnostic value of serum exosomal lncRNA LINC00472 combined with serum levels of CK-MB and cTnI in AMI.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>In total, 83 patients with AMI (AMI group)/83 patients with non-coronary chest pain (NCC group) were selected. Correlations between serum exosomal lncRNA LINC00472 level and myocardial injury markers (CK-MB/cTnI) in patients with AMI were evaluated by Spearman correlation coefficient analysis. The diagnostic value of serum exosomal lncRNA LINC00472 expression alone or its combination with serum CK-MB/cTnI was analyzed utilizing receiver operating characteristic curves. The independent factors for AMI were determined through multivariate logistic regression analysis.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Compared with the NCC group, the AMI group exhibited elevated levels of TC/FBG/CK-MB/cTnI. Serum exosomal lncRNA LINC00472 was highly expressed in patients with AMI and positively correlated with serum CK-MB/cTnI levels. The area under the curve (AUC) for the combination of serum exosomal lncRNA LINC00472 with serum levels of CK-MB/cTnI in diagnosing AMI was 0.977 (sensitivity 95.2%, specificity 97.6%), which was higher than that for single serum biomarker.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Serum exosomal lncRNA LINC00472, as one of the independent influencing factors for AMI occurrence, can aid in the diagnosis of AMI and its combination with serum levels of CK-MB/cTnI can improve the diagnostic value of CK-MB or cTnI for early AMI.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55064,"journal":{"name":"Heart & Lung","volume":"74 ","pages":"Pages 96-103"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144535969","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Admission Ca-125 to identify diuretic response in hospitalized patients with acute decompensated heart failure","authors":"Tugce Colluoglu Assoc. Prof.,&nbsp;Tugba Kapansahin Assist. Prof.,&nbsp;Yesim Akın Prof.","doi":"10.1016/j.hrtlng.2025.06.012","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.hrtlng.2025.06.012","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Elevated circulating cancer antigen-125 (Ca-125) in heart failure has been proposed as a congestive and prognostic biomarker for patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). However, the relationship between circulating Ca-125 and diuretic efficiency in this population remains unknown.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>We hypothesized that hospitalized ADHF patients with increased circulating Ca-125 levels are prone to high risk for the development of insufficient diuretic response<del>.</del></div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We conducted the Receiver operator characteristics (ROC) analysis and binary logistic regression analysis to reveal the association between circulating Ca-125 level and diuretic response in hospitalized patients with ADHF. Insufficient diuretic response was defined as (1) a spot urinary Na+ &lt;50 mEq/L in the spot urine sample collected 2 h following loop diuretic administration, and (2) &lt;100 mL/hour diuresis after loop diuretic administration.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>In the prospective observational cohort study, we enrolled 168 hospitalized patients with ADHF. Insufficient diuretic response and worsening renal function occurred in 45 (26.8 %) and 83 (49.4 %) patients, respectively. ROC analysis revealed that the optimal cut off of Ca-125 was 97.6 U/mL with a sensitivity of 64 %, and a specificity of 78 %. Overall model quality was 0.60. Using the binary logistic regression model, Ca-125≥97.6 U/mL (OR: 6.238, 95 %CI:2.712–14.349) and creatinine (OR: 4.194, 95 %CI:1.162–15.131) were independent predictors for the development of insufficient diuretic response.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>In hospitalized patients with ADHF, Ca-125 ≥ 97.6 U/mL can be an effective sign in forecasting diuretic efficiency and may contribute to a better risk stratification for the development of insufficient diuretic response.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55064,"journal":{"name":"Heart & Lung","volume":"74 ","pages":"Pages 90-95"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144523512","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Lived experiences of frail patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting: a phenomenological study","authors":"Bilgen Arikan ,&nbsp;Fatma Demir Korkmaz","doi":"10.1016/j.hrtlng.2025.06.008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.hrtlng.2025.06.008","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Frailty is critical consideration in cardiovascular surgery. Understanding frail patients' unique experiences is essential for providing personalized care.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>The aim of this study was to explore the lived experiences of frail patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in the early postoperative period.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This qualitative, phenomenological study was conducted from June 28, 2021, to February 18, 2022, at a cardiovascular surgery department in an educational and research hospital in Türkiye. The sample included 14 frail patients, identified using the Modified Fried Frailty Index before surgery. Criterion sampling was used for selection, and data were gathered through semi-structured interviews during the early pre-discharge period. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using MAXQDA 2020 with content and thematic analysis.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The patients' (<em>n</em> = 14) average age was 65.6 ± 8.84 years, with 9 women and 13 married participants. Most had comorbidities, including hypertension and diabetes. The average hospital stay was 19.79±5.59 days, with 8.64±4.46 days spent in the ICU. Thirteen patients experienced postoperative complications. Four main themes and nine sub-themes emerged. The main themes were: (i)“Problems”, (ii)‘Coping’, (iii)“Perceptions toward CABG” and (iv)“Expectations”.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>The findings reveal that frail patients experience complex, multidimensional challenges following CABG surgery. The study emphasizes the significance of individualized, holistic care approaches—including effective communication, psychosocial support, and tailored postoperative management—for this frail patients. Further attention to frailty-specific interventions that are responsive to the unique needs of these individuals is crucial to enhance recovery outcomes and quality of life in frail CABG patients.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55064,"journal":{"name":"Heart & Lung","volume":"74 ","pages":"Pages 65-72"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144514105","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Women’s experiences of returning to work after open heart surgery: A descriptive qualitative study","authors":"Michael Mortensen RN, CCN, PhD student ,&nbsp;Elisabeth Grov Beisland ,&nbsp;Juan M. Leyva-Moral ,&nbsp;Venny Kvalheim ,&nbsp;Øyvind S. Svendsen ,&nbsp;Rune Haaverstad ,&nbsp;Asgjerd L. Moi","doi":"10.1016/j.hrtlng.2025.06.010","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.hrtlng.2025.06.010","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Open-heart surgery profoundly affects every aspect of a patient’s life, with return to work post-surgery being a particularly significant milestone in their recovery. Returning to work is a significant step during reintegration into society and an important factor in their quality of life. Recent studies show that women experience more complications and have longer sick leaves and post-surgery than men. Gender-specific socio-cultural and physiological factors may add unique challenges to women and, therefore, tailored support may be essential during this critical recovery phase. Despite its importance among patients who have undergone surgery, specific research conducted on women’s post-surgery return to work experiences remains limited.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>To conduct in-depth research into the experiences of women facing their return to work after open-heart surgery.</div></div><div><h3>Design</h3><div>This study employed a qualitative descriptive approach, conducting semi-structured interviews one year post-discharge through digital or in-person meetings.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A prospective criterion sampling was used. All the participants were working-aged women between 18 and 65 years and were Norwegian residents. Audio recordings were transcribed verbatim, ensuring a precise textual representation of their spoken words. Thematic analysis, employing an inductive, semantic approach, was conducted to identify the patterns of themes within the data on the women’s meaning of their transition back to work.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The interviews identified three significant themes, highlighting the women’s post-surgical experiences regarding their return to work: “Mismatch between reality and expectation”, “A lonesome struggle” and “Reconsidering the value of work”.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>This study reveals the nuanced challenges Norwegian women face when returning to work after surgery, emphasising the need for holistic, psychosocially informed post-operative care. The findings advocate for healthcare providers to integrate awareness of patients’ professional lives into care plans, facilitating more personalised support and guidance. Our research calls for a more comprehensive care model, marking a significant step towards improving gender-sensitive healthcare practices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55064,"journal":{"name":"Heart & Lung","volume":"74 ","pages":"Pages 73-81"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144514106","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}