Alexithymia is a determinant of early death in the long-term course of post-myocardial infarction

Mauro Giovanni Carta; Federica Sancassiani; Davide Bina; Marco Licciardi; Giulia Cossu; Antonio Egidio Nardi; Luigi Meloni; Roberta Montisci

doi:10.4081/jphr.2022.2803

Alexithymia is a determinant of early death in the long-term course of post-myocardial infarction

J Public Health Res. 2022 Mar 16;11(2):2803. doi: 10.4081/jphr.2022.2803.

Authors

Mauro Giovanni Carta¹, Federica Sancassiani², Davide Bina³, Marco Licciardi⁴, Giulia Cossu⁵, Antonio Egidio Nardi⁶, Luigi Meloni⁷, Roberta Montisci⁸

Affiliations

¹ Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari. maurogcarta@gmail.com.
² Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari. federicasancassiani@yahoo.it.
³ Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari. davide.bina@gmail.com.
⁴ Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari. licciardi94@gmail.com.
⁵ Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari. giuliaci@hotmail.com.
⁶ Laboratory of Panic and Respiration, Institute of Psychiatry of Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (IPUB/UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro. antonioenardi@gmail.com.
⁷ Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari. meloni.unica@gmail.com.
⁸ Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari. rmontisci@unica.it.

Abstract

Among people with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), high alexithymia was associated with delay to hospital arrival. High alexithymia could be a determinant of early death in the long term after STEMI. People with STEMI who participated in a survey in 2011, was tested about the state of life in 2021. The sample was divided into two cohorts (cut-off: TAS-20≥61 in 2011). The relationship between possible death occurred and having high alexithymia was calculated by comparing the mortality after 10 years in the two cohorts through the Cox' proportional hazard model. Status in life was verified on 39.3% of the sample. No differences were found regarding age, sex, high alexithymia between individuals on whom it was possible to verify the state in life and in whose it was not. In 2021, among people having high alexithymia in 2011, a higher risk of early death was found (RR=5.75, CI 95% 1.116-29.637).

Grants and funding

Funding: This article has been developed within the framework of the Research Project financed with the resources of the P.O.R. SARDEGNA F.S.E. 2014-2020 - Axis III "Education and Training, Thematic Objective: 10, Specific Objective: 10.5, Action of the fi Partnership Agreement: 10.5.12 "Call for proposals for the funding of research projects – Year 2017".