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Aims Previous research on racial/ethnic disparities in relation to cardiac arrest has mainly focused on black vs. white disparities in the USA. The great majority of these studies concerns out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). The current nationwide registry study aims to explore whether there are ethnic differences in treatment and survival following in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA), examining possible disparities towards Middle Eastern and African minorities in a European context. Methods and results In this retrospective registry study, 24 217 patients from the IHCA part of the Swedish Registry of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation were included. Data on patient ethnicity were obtained from Statistics Sweden. Regression analysis was performed to assess the impact of ethnicity on cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) delay, CPR duration, survival immediately after CPR, and the medical team's reported satisfaction with the treatment. Middle Eastern and African patients were not treated significantly different compared to Nordic patients when controlling for hospital, year, age, sex, socioeconomic status, comorbidity, aetiology, and initial heart rhythm. Interestingly, we find that Middle Eastern patients were more likely to survive than Nordic patients (odds ratio = 1.52). Conclusion Overall, hospital staff do not appear to treat IHCA patients differently based on their ethnicity. Nevertheless, Middle Eastern patients are more likely to survive IHCA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims  Individuals with low socioeconomic status (SES) face widespread prejudice in society. Whether SES disparities exist in treatment and survival following in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) is unclear. The aim of the current retrospective registry study was to examine SES disparities in IHCA treatment and survival, assessing SES at the patient level, and adjusting for major demographic, clinical, and contextual factors. Methods and results  In total, 24 217 IHCAs from the Swedish Register of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation were analysed. Education and income constituted SES proxies. Controlling for age, gender, ethnicity, comorbidity, heart rhythm, aetiology, hospital, and year, primary analyses showed that high (vs. low) SES patients were significantly less likely to receive delayed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) (highly educated: OR = 0.89, and high income: OR = 0.98). Furthermore, patients with high SES were significantly more likely to survive CPR (high income: OR = 1.02), to survive to hospital discharge with good neurological outcome (highly educated: OR = 1.27; high income: OR = 1.06), and to survive to 30 days (highly educated: OR = 1.21; and high income: OR = 1.05). Secondary analyses showed that patients with high SES were also significantly more likely to receive prophylactic heart rhythm monitoring (highly educated: OR = 1.16; high income: OR = 1.02), and this seems to partially explain the observed SES differences in CPR delay. Conclusion  There are clear SES differences in IHCA treatment and survival, even when controlling for major sociodemographic, clinical, and contextual factors. This suggests that patients with low SES could be subject to discrimination when suffering IHCA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is a lack of knowledge about factors associated with health-related quality of life in cardiac arrest survivors and their spouses. In addition, survivors and spouses are likely to affect each other's health-related quality of life. Aims: The aim was to investigate if a distressed personality and perceived control among cardiac arrest survivors and their spouses were associated with their own and their partner's health-related quality of life. Methods: This dyadic cross-sectional study used the actor–partner interdependence model to analyse associations between a distressed personality (type D personality), perceived control (control attitudes scale), and health-related quality of life (EQ index and EQ visual analogue scale). Results: In total, 126 dyads were included in the study. Type D personality and perceived control in cardiac arrest survivors were associated with their own health-related quality of life. In their spouses, a significant association was found for type D personality but not for perceived control. In addition, type D personality and perceived control in survivors were associated with health-related quality of life in their spouses. Conclusions: Type D personality and perceived control are factors that might be considered during post cardiac arrest, because of the associations with health-related quality of life in survivors and spouses. More research is needed to test psychosocial interventions in the cardiac arrest population in order to improve health-related quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Physical activity and appetite are important components for maintaining health. Yet, the association between physical activity and appetite in heart failure (HF) populations is not completely understood. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between physical activity, functional capacity, and appetite in patients with HF. Methods: This was a prospective observational study. In total, 186 patients diagnosed with HF, New York Heart Association (NYHA) class II–IV (mean age 70.7, 30% female), were included. Physical activity was measured using a multi-sensor actigraph for seven days and with a self-reported numeric rating scale. Physical capacity was measured by the six-minute walk test. Appetite was measured using the Council on Nutrition Appetite Questionnaire. Data were collected at inclusion and after 18 months. A series of linear regression analyses, adjusted for age, NYHA class, and B-type natriuretic peptide were conducted. Results: At baseline, higher levels of physical activity and functional capacity were significantly associated with a higher level of appetite in the unadjusted models. In the adjusted models, number of steps (p = 0.019) and the six-minute walk test (p = 0.007) remained significant. At the 18-month follow-up, all physical activity variables and functional capacity were significantly associated with appetite in the unadjusted regression models. In the adjusted models, number of steps (p = 0.001) and metabolic equivalent daily averages (p = 0.040) remained significant. Conclusion: A higher level of physical activity measured by number of steps/day was associated with better self-reported appetite, both at baseline and the 18-month follow-up. Further research is needed to establish causality and explore the intertwined relationship between activity and appetite in patients with HF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As treatment has improved, patients with heart failure live longer, and the care mostly takes place at home with partners providing the main assistance. Perceived control over heart failure is important in managing self-care activities to maintain health in patients and their family. Depressive symptoms are associated with impaired health status in patients with heart failure and their family. However, there is limited knowledge about how depressive symptoms affect the relationship between health status and perceived control over heart failure in patients with heart failure and their cohabiting partners. Aim: The aim of this study was to examine whether the relationship between perceived control and health status (i.e. mental and physical) was mediated by depressive symptoms in patients with heart failure and their partners. Methods: In this secondary data analysis, we included 132 heart failure patients and 132 partners who completed measures of depressive symptoms (the Beck depression inventory II), perceived control (the control attitude scale), and physical and mental health status (the short form-36) instruments. The mediation effect of depression was examined using a series of multiple regression in patients and their family caregivers separately. Results: We found a mediator effect of depressive symptoms in the relationship between perceived control and mental health status in both patients and partners. The relationship between perceived control and physical health status was mediated by depressive symptoms in the patients, not in the partners. Conclusion: Efforts to improve self-care management and maintenance by targeting perceived control may be more effective if depressive symptoms are also effectively managed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Atrial fibrillation is a prevalent cardiac arrhythmia. Effective communication of risks (e.g. stroke risk) and benefits of treatment (e.g. oral anticoagulants) is crucial for the process of shared decision making. Aim: The aim of this study was to explore factors associated with confidence in decision making and satisfaction with risk communication after a follow-up visit among patients who three months earlier had visited an emergency room for atrial fibrillation related symptoms. Methods: A cross-sectional design was used and 322 patients (34% women), mean age 66.1 years (SD 10.5 years) with atrial fibrillation were included in the south of Sweden. Clinical examinations were done post an atrial fibrillation episode. Self-rating scales for communication (Combined Outcome Measure for Risk Communication and Treatment Decision Making Effectiveness), uncertainty in illness (Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scale–Community), mastery of daily life (Mastery Scale), depressive symptoms (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) and vitality, physical health and mental health (36-item Short Form Health Survey) were used to collect data. Results: Decreased vitality and mastery of daily life, as well as increased uncertainty in illness, were independently associated with lower confidence in decision making. Absence of hypertension and increased uncertainty in illness were independently associated with lower satisfaction with risk communication. Clinical atrial fibrillation variables or depressive symptoms were not associated with satisfaction with confidence in decision making or satisfaction with risk communication. The final models explained 29.1% and 29.5% of the variance in confidence in decision making and satisfaction with risk communication. Conclusion: Confidence in decision making is associated with decreased vitality and mastery of daily life, as well as increased uncertainty in illness, while absence of hypertension and increased uncertainty in illness are associated with risk communication satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: A high quality of chest compressions, e.g. sufficient depth (5–6 cm) and rate (100–120 per min), has been associated with survival. The patient’s underlay affects chest compression depth. Depth and rate can be assessed by feedback systems to guide rescuers during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Aim: The purpose of this study was to describe the quality of chest compressions by healthcare professionals using real-time audiovisual feedback during in-hospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Method: An observational descriptive study was performed including 63 cardiac arrest events with a resuscitation attempt. Data files were recorded by Zoll AED Pro, and reviewed by RescueNet Code Review software. The events were analysed according to depth, rate, quality of chest compressions and underlay. Results: Across events, 12.7% (median) of the compressions had a depth of 5–6 cm. Compression depth of >6 cm was measured in 70.1% (median). The underlay could be identified from the electronic patient records in 54 events. The median compression depth was 4.5 cm (floor) and 6.7 cm (mattress). Across events, 57.5% (median) of the compressions were performed with a median frequency of 100–120 compressions/min and the most common problem was a compression rate of <100 (median=22.3%). Conclusions: Chest compression quality was poor according to the feedback system. However, the distribution of compression depth with regard to underlay points towards overestimation of depth when treating patients on a mattress. Audiovisual feedback devices ought to be further developed. Healthcare professionals need to be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of their devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The four-item Control Attitudes Scale (CAS) was developed to measure control perceived by patients with cardiac disease and their family members, but extensive psychometric evaluation has not been performed. Objective: The aim was to translate, culturally adapt and psychometrically evaluate the CAS in a Swedish sample of implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) recipients, heart failure (HF) patients and their partners. Methods: A sample (n=391) of ICD recipients, HF patients and partners were used. Descriptive statistics, item-total and inter-item correlations, exploratory factor analysis, ordinal regression modelling and Cronbach's alpha were used to validate the CAS. Results: The findings from the factor analyses revealed that the CAS is a multidimensional scale including two factors, Control and Helplessness. The internal consistency was satisfactory for all scales (a=0.74-0.85), except the family version total scale (a=0.62). No differential item functioning was detected which implies that the CAS can be used to make invariant comparisons between groups of different age and sex. Conclusions: The psychometric properties, together with the simple and short format of the CAS, make it to a useful tool for measuring perceived control among patients with cardiac diseases and their family members. When using the CAS, subscale scores should be preferred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: After being through a myocardial infarction (MI), a severe recovery period ensues for the patient. Long-term follow-ups are helpful, but what this should include differs between patients. Today there is no established approach to identify needs for support after an MI. Aim: The aim was to describe sense of coherence (SOC) over time in relation to sex, as well as further SOC in relation to quality of life (QoL) and treatment satisfaction in patients with an MI. Methods. This study had an observational and longitudinal design and followed 18 women and 60 men with an acute MI for 49–67 months after the onset of MI. Instruments used were the SOC-13 and the Seattle Angina Questionnaire. Results: Women scored lower SOC than men. A main effect of time was shown for comprehensibility which increased significantly from baseline to the long-term follow-up. Women increased from a lower level to an equal level as men at the long-term follow-up. The total SOC was significantly associated with QoL and treatment satisfaction. Conclusion: High comprehensibility and high SOC give the patient a better basis to handle life after MI. Thus, healthcare professionals should keep in mind that SOC and especially comprehensibility have meaning for the patient's ability to handle her or his recovery. Healthcare professionals need to together with the patient identify and work with lifestyle factors that contribute to increased comprehensibility about the disease, which gives the patient the foundation to preserve and promote her or his health both in the short and long term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents an overview of the peer manuscript review process which is used for all manuscripts which are submitted for publication to the "European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing". In the article the authors offer their opinions on what constitutes a good peer review and on the evaluation of scientific quality which takes place during a peer review.