Factors associated with adherence to the Mediterranean diet in patients with coronary artery disease: a prospective cohort study.
Melissa Alves Cirelli, Juliana de Lima Lopes, Aline Marcadenti and 3 others
PMID 42561277WHAT IT FOUND
Among patients with coronary artery disease, adherence to the Mediterranean diet rose over six months and was higher in younger, female, better educated, working, hypertensive, and surgically treated groups.
It was not linked to readmission or cholesterol changes.
Key findings
01Adherence to the Mediterranean diet increased progressively from hospitalization to three and six months after discharge.
02Greater adherence was associated with younger age, female gender, higher education, economic activity, hypertension, and surgical treatment.
03Higher adherence was not significantly linked to hospital readmission, and total and LDL cholesterol reductions over time occurred regardless of adherence.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study was done at a single private tertiary hospital, so results may not apply to patients served by the public health system. Data were collected during the COVID-19 pandemic, which may have affected diet, hospital discharge, and readmission. The diet screener was adapted for Brazilian Portuguese but had not undergone comprehensive psychometric validation. Not all patients had laboratory tests at both time points, and some follow-up contacts were missed. Six months may be too short to detect effects on biomarkers or readmission. The study measured associations, not the effect of a nurse-led or diet intervention.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that following a Mediterranean diet prevents readmission or lowers cholesterol in these patients. The study found no significant difference in readmission between higher and lower adherence groups, and total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol fell over time regardless of adherence, so medications or other care changes may explain the lipid reductions.