Evidence map›Paper›PMID 27091846›Full record

SynthesisHeart (British Cardiac Society)2016

Loneliness and social isolation as risk factors for coronary heart disease and stroke: systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal observational studies.

Nicole K Valtorta, Mona Kanaan, Simon Gilbody, Sara Ronzi, Barbara Hanratty

2 registry-linked trialsOpen access · hybridAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Heart (British Cardiac Society), 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 887 papers, 14 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
887citing papers in PubMed, 14 pooled it
115.5field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT05109026 completednot on this mapstarted 2022, after this paper: background citation

Connect-5 Needs Assessment to Identify Requirements of a Rural Irish Community Related to a an Online Digital Platform Solution, Designed to Change Behaviour, Related to Lifestyle Medicine and Mental Health.

TypeobservationalSponsorRoyal College of Surgeons, IrelandRan2022 to 2023Enrolled228ConditionsHealthy Lifestyle
NCT07576855 nanot yet recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2026, after this paper: background citation

Strengthening Bonds: A Telephone Reminiscence Intervention to Reduce Social Isolation and Improve Mental Health in Rural Older Adults

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversity of ConnecticutRan2026 to 2027Enrolled170ConditionsMental HealthArmsTelephone Reminiscence Program
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

887 citing papers in PubMed, 14 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 1,898 citations in OpenAlex.

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  2. Systematic Review of Loneliness and Social Isolation Interventions in Obesity and Obesity-Related Complications.Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity · 2026
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827 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Nicole K ValtortaDepartment of Health Sciences, University of York, Heslington, York, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-9694-7965
Mona KanaanDepartment of Health Sciences, University of York, Heslington, York, UK.
Simon GilbodyDepartment of Health Sciences, University of York, Heslington, York, UK.
Sara RonziDepartment of Public Health and Society, Whelan Building, Brownlow Hill, Liverpool, UK.
Barbara HanrattyInstitute of Health and Society/Newcastle University Institute for Ageing, Biomedical Research Building, Campus for Ageing and Vitality, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
University of York · GBNewcastle Hospitals - Campus for Ageing and Vitality · GB

Funding

Department of Health DRF-2013-06-074
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe influence of social relationships on morbidity is widely accepted, but the size of the risk to cardiovascular health is unclear.

objectiveWe undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the association between loneliness or social isolation and incident coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke.

methodsSixteen electronic databases were systematically searched for longitudinal studies set in high-income countries and published up until May 2015. Two independent reviewers screened studies for inclusion and extracted data. We assessed quality using a component approach and pooled data for analysis using random effects models.

resultsOf the 35 925 records retrieved, 23 papers met inclusion criteria for the narrative review. They reported data from 16 longitudinal datasets, for a total of 4628 CHD and 3002 stroke events recorded over follow-up periods ranging from 3 to 21 years. Reports of 11 CHD studies and 8 stroke studies provided data suitable for meta-analysis. Poor social relationships were associated with a 29% increase in risk of incident CHD (pooled relative risk: 1.29, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.59) and a 32% increase in risk of stroke (pooled relative risk: 1.32, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.68). Subgroup analyses did not identify any differences by gender.

conclusionsOur findings suggest that deficiencies in social relationships are associated with an increased risk of developing CHD and stroke. Future studies are needed to investigate whether interventions targeting loneliness and social isolation can help to prevent two of the leading causes of death and disability in high-income countries. STUDY REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42014010225.

Indexed as

Social IsolationBiasCoronary DiseaseHumansLonelinessObservational Studies as TopicRisk FactorsStroke

Identifiers

PMID27091846
PMCPMC4941172
OpenAlexW2336497595

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.