Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40383118›Full record

SynthesisCerebrovascular diseases (Basel, Switzerland)2026

Association between Marital/Partner Status and Patient-Reported Outcomes in Stroke Patients: A Systematic Review.

Cenjing Zhu, Phoebe M Tran, Erica C Leifheit, Erica S Spatz, Rachel P Dreyer, Kate Nyhan, Shi-Yi Wang, Patricia N E Roberson, Larry B Goldstein, Judith H Lichtman

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Cerebrovascular diseases (Basel, Switzerland), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Cenjing ZhuDepartment of Chronic Disease Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
Phoebe M TranDepartment of Public Health, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA, ptran4@utk.edu.
Erica C LeifheitDepartment of Chronic Disease Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
Erica S SpatzCenter for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
Rachel P DreyerDepartment of Biostatistics, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
Kate NyhanHarvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
Shi-Yi WangDepartment of Chronic Disease Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
Patricia N E RobersonCollege of Nursing, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA.
Larry B GoldsteinDepartment of Neurology, University of Kentucky College of Medicine and Kentucky Neuroscience Institute, Lexington, Kentucky, USA.
Judith H LichtmanDepartment of Chronic Disease Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.

Funding

Disparities in Patterns of Recurrent Stroke in the ElderlyR01AG056628 · NIA · YALE UNIVERSITY · PI JUDITH H LICHTMAN · 2018 to 2026
$5.6M
NIA NIH HHS R01 AG056628
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionThe extent to which marital/partner status affects patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in stroke patients varies among reported studies. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to clarify this relationship.

methodsFive databases (Medline, Web of Science, Scopus, EMBASE, and PsycINFO) were searched from inception to April 15, 2024. Peer-reviewed studies that reported the independent association of marital/partner status with defined PROMs for patients who had a stroke were eligible for inclusion. Results for eligible studies were classified into four predefined outcome domains (health-related quality of life [HRQoL], functional status, symptoms, and personal recovery outcomes). Study quality was appraised using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, and data were synthesized by outcome domains.

resultsWe identified 51 studies (n = 552,943 participants), of which 10 were included in meta-analyses. Being married/partnered was associated with a lower likelihood of poststroke depression (pooled OR, 0.62 [95% CI: 0.43 to 0.89], I2 = 0%), independent of functional outcomes. However, no clear association was found with HRQoL given mixed and insignificant results across physical and mental domains. Qualitative synthesis further suggested that most studies supported better functional and personal recovery outcomes for stroke patients who were married/partnered compared with those who were unpartnered. Data were insufficient to determine whether the association of partner status varied by the sex of the stroke patient.

conclusionOur findings highlight the importance of the influence of marital/partner status on PROMs among stroke patients for mental health, but not for HRQoL. Future research should aim to harmonize assessments and standardize reporting to enhance further investigation of these associations, determine whether there are differences by sex, and further explore the association between marital/partner status and poststroke functional outcomes.

Indexed as

Marital StatusPatient Reported Outcome MeasuresSpousesStrokeAgedDepressionFemaleFunctional StatusHumansMaleMental HealthMiddle AgedQuality of LifeRecovery of FunctionRisk FactorsStroke RehabilitationAnxietyDepressionFunctional statusMental healthPatient-reported outcome measuresQuality of life

Identifiers

PMID40383118
PMCPMC12353958

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.