A network analysis of cardiovascular risk factors in patients with heart disease: the role of socioeconomic status and sex.

Abstract

Diverse risk factors influence the development and prognosis of coronary heart disease (CHD) independently and mutually. Low socio-economic status (SES) seems to exacerbate these risk factors' influences. Additionally, sex differences have been identified for individual risk factors. Network analysis could provide in-depth insight into the interrelatedness of the risk factors, their predictability, and into the moderating role of sex, to ultimately contribute to more refinement in prevention and cardiac rehabilitation (CR). 1682 participants (78% male; Mage = 69.2 ± 10.6) with CHD completed questionnaires on psychosocial factors and health behaviors. Cardiometabolic data were retrieved through medical records. An SES index was created based on self-reported occupation and education, and area (i.e., postal code)-based median family income. Using R, we conducted a mixed graphical model network analysis on all risk factors combined with and without the moderating role of sex. SES belonged to the more influential risk factors with moderate to high levels of expected influence and degree centrality, indicating it plays a considerable role in the risk factor network. When considering the moderating role of sex, relationships between SES and most risk factors were found to be stronger for women (b = 0.06 - 0.48). The current study provided an insight into an interrelated network of psychosocial and medical risk factors among CHD patients. With SES belonging to the more influential risk factors and female sex influencing the strength of all the SES-risk factor relationships, CR and prevention techniques could be more refined by accounting for both influences.