Marital status linked to better outcomes after cardiac surgery

Editor's Note

Compared to married patients, those who were divorced, separated, or widowed had a 40% greater chance of dying or developing a functional disability in the first 2 years after cardiac surgery, in this study.

Characterizing the association between marital status and postoperative function may be useful for counseling patients and identifying groups that may benefit from interventions to improve functional recovery, the authors say.

1Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 2 Department of Internal Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia