Social Disconnection, Genetic Risk, and the Incidence of Degenerative Valvular Heart Disease: A Population‐Based Cohort Study

BACKGROUND: Degenerative valvular heart disease (VHD) is increasingly recognized as a major public health concern in aging populations. Although traditional cardiovascular risk factors have been extensively investigated, the role of loneliness and social isolation has remained largely overlooked in the context of valvular pathology. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study involving 462 917 participants from the UK Biobank, free of VHDs at baseline. Loneliness and social isolation were assessed using validated questionnaires. RESULTS: <0.001). In mediation analyses, unhealthy lifestyles were identified as significant mediators in the association between loneliness and incident degenerative VHD. CONCLUSIONS: Loneliness, rather than social isolation, was significantly associated with an increased risk of degenerative VHD. Our findings highlight novel opportunities for nonpharmacological interventions aimed at managing degenerative VHD.