Psychophysiological Models to Identify and Monitor Elderly with a Cardiovascular Condition: The Added Value of Psychosocial Parameters to Routinely Applied Physiological Assessments

Victor Kallen*, Jan Willem Marck, Jacqueline Stam, Amine Issa, Bruce Johnson, Nico van Meeteren

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

The steadily growing elderly population calls for efficient, reliable and preferably ambulant health supervision. Since cardiovascular risk factors interact with psychosocial strain (e.g., depression), we investigated the potential contribution of psychosocial factors in discriminating generally healthy elderly from those with a cardiovascular condition, on and above routinely applied physiological assessments. Fifteen elderly (aged 60 to 88) with a cardiovascular diagnosis were compared to fifteen age and gender matched healthy peers. Six sequential standardized lab assessments were conducted (one every two weeks), including an autonomic test battery, a 6-min step test and questionnaires covering perceived psychological state and experiences over the previous two weeks. Specific combinations of physiological and psychological factors (most prominently symptoms of depression) effectively predicted (clinical) cardiovascular markers. Additionally, a highly significant prognostic model was found, including depressive symptoms, recently experienced negative events and social isolation. It appeared slightly superior in identifying elderly with or without a cardiovascular condition compared to a model that only included physiological parameters. Adding psychosocial parameters to cardiovascular assessments in elderly may consequently provide protocols that are significantly more efficient, relatively comfortable and technologically feasible in ambulant settings, without necessarily compromising prognostic accuracy.

Original languageEnglish
Article number3240
Number of pages12
JournalSensors
Volume20
Issue number11
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2020

Keywords

  • elderly
  • cardiovascular
  • Heart Rate Variability
  • Heart Rate Recovery
  • respiratory
  • psychosocial functioning
  • prognostic model
  • depression
  • loneliness
  • HEART-RATE-VARIABILITY
  • ALLOSTATIC LOAD
  • SOCIAL SUPPORT
  • DEPRESSION
  • STRESS
  • HEALTH
  • RISK
  • LONELINESS
  • MACARTHUR
  • VALIDITY

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