Association between gender and short-term outcome in patients with ST elevation myocardial infraction participating in the international, prospective, randomised administration of ticagrelor in the catheterisation laboratory or in the ambulance for new ST elevation myocardial infarction to open the coronary artery (ATLANTIC) trial: a prespecified analysis

Objectives: to evaluate gender differences in outcomes in patents with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) planned for primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI). Settings: a prespecified gender analysis of the multicentre, randomised, double-blind Administration of Ticagrelor in the catheterisation Laboratory or in the Ambulance for New ST elevation myocardial Infarction to open the Coronary artery. Participants: between September 2011 and October 2013, 1862 patients with STEMI and symptom duration <6 hours were included. Interventions: patients were assigned to prehospital versus in-hospital administration of 180 mg ticagrelor. Outcomes: the main objective was to study the association between gender and primary and secondary outcomes of the main study with a focus on the clinical efficacy and safety outcomes. Primary outcome: the proportion of patients who did not have 70% resolution of ST-segment elevation and did not meet the criteria for Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) flow 3 at initial angiography. Secondary outcome: the composite of death, MI, stent thrombosis, stroke or urgent revascularisation and major or minor bleeding at 30 days. Results: women were older, had higher TIMI risk score, longer prehospital delays and better TIMI flow in the infarct-related artery. Women had a threefold higher risk for all-cause mortality compared with men (5.7% vs 1.9%, HR 3.13, 95% CI 1.78 to 5.51). After adjustment, the difference was attenuated but remained statistically significant (HR 2.08, 95% CI 1.03 to 4.20). The incidence of major bleeding events was twofold to threefold higher in women compared with men. In the multivariable model, female gender was not an independent predictor of bleeding (Platelet Inhibition and Patient Outcomes major HR 1.45, 95% CI 0.73 to 2.86, TIMI major HR 1.28, 95% CI 0.47 to 3.48, Bleeding Academic Research Consortium type 3-5 HR 1.45, 95% CI 0.72 to 2.91). There was no interaction between gender and efficacy or safety of randomised treatment. Conclusions: in patients with STEMI planned for PPCI and treated with modern antiplatelet therapy, female gender was an independent predictor of short-term mortality. In contrast, the higher incidence of bleeding complications in women could mainly be explained by older age and clustering of comorbidities

A head-to-head comparison of myocardial strain by fast-strain encoding and feature tracking imaging in acute myocardial infarction

BackgroundMyocardial infarction (MI) is a major cause of heart failure. Left ventricular adverse remodeling is common post-MI. Several studies have demonstrated a correlation between reduced myocardial strain and the development of adverse remodeling. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) with fast-strain encoding (fast-SENC) or feature tracking (FT) enables rapid assessment of myocardial deformation. The aim of this study was to establish a head-to-head comparison of fast-SENC and FT in post-ST-elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients, with clinical 2D speckle tracking echocardiography (2DEcho) as a reference.MethodsThirty patients treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention for STEMI were investigated. All participants underwent CMR examination with late gadolinium enhancement, cine-loop steady-state free precession, and fast-SENC imaging using a 1.5T scanner as well as a 2DEcho. Global longitudinal strain (GLS), segmental longitudinal strain (SLS), global circumferential strain (GCS), and segmental circumferential strain (SCS) were assessed along with the MI scar extent.ResultsThe GCS measurements from fast-SENC and FT were nearly identical: the mean difference was 0.01 (2.5)% (95% CI – 0.92 to 0.95). For GLS, fast-SENC values were higher than FT, with a mean difference of 1.8 (1.4)% (95% CI 1.31–2.35). Tests of significance for GLS did not show any differences between the MR methods and 2DEcho. Average strain in the infarct-related artery (IRA) segments compared to the remote myocardium was significantly lower for the left anterior descending artery and right coronary artery culprits but not for the left circumflex artery culprits. Fast-SENC displayed a higher area under the curve for detecting infarcted segments than FT for both SCS and SLS.ConclusionGLS and GCS did not significantly differ between fast-SENC and FT. Both showed acceptable agreement with 2DEcho for longitudinal strain. Segments perfused by the IRA showed significantly reduced strain values compared to the remote myocardium. Fast-SENC presented a higher sensitivity and specificity for detecting infarcted segments than FT

Management and Outcome in ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction from a Gender Perspective

The aim of this thesis was to evaluate baseline characteristics, management and outcome in real life ST-elevation myocardial infarction [STEMI] cohorts from a gender perspective. We aimed to evaluate the total STEMI population as well as certain subgroups, such as the youngest. Moreover we aimed to analyse gender differences in renal function, and the prognostic impact of reduced renal function in men and women with STEMI. In Paper I all STEMI patients registered in RIKS-HIA between 1st Jan 1995 and 31st Dec 2006 were included, in total 54 146 patients, 35% women. Women were 7 years older than men, with 30 min longer median symptomto-door time. They had higher prevalence of co-morbidities such as diabetes, hypertension and heart failure whereas men were more often smokers, had a previous myocardial infarction [MI] or were previously revascularised. During hospital care, fewer women than men, 63% vs. 72%, p&lt;0.001, received acute reperfusion therapy, odds ratio [OR] 0.83 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.79 – 0.88) after multivariable adjustment. Inhospital mortality was 13% vs. 7%, women vs. men, p&lt;0.001. After multivariable adjustments women had 22% higher risk of in-hospital death, OR 1.22 (95% CI 1.11 – 1.33). Adding reperfusion therapy to the adjustment model did not change the odds of death, OR 1.21 (1.11 – 1.32). Stratifying the cohort into four age-groups revealed increased mortality with increasing age as well as higher mortality in women than in men in all groups. The multivariable adjusted risk in women relative to men was highest amongst the youngest, OR 1.45 (95% CI 0.98 – 2.14). The long term prognosis was assessed in women vs. men with Cox proportional regression analyses, follow-up time 1 to 13 years. Women had 8% lower risk of long term mortality after multivariable adjustments, and after age-stratifying, women had better long term survival in all age-groups, except the youngest. Previous studies based on mixed MI cohorts had found a gender-age interaction with higher risk of death women relative to men in the youngest group. In Paper II we included all STEMI patients &lt;46 years old registered in RIKS-HIA between 1st Jan 1995 and 31st Dec 2006, 1748 men and 384 women. Cardiovascular risk factors were common, and women had more often clustering of risk factors compared to men. The most prevalent risk factor was smoking, 64% of the women compared to 58% of the men were current smokers. There was no gender difference in delay times or in rate of reperfusion. Almost 60% of both women and men underwent coronary angiography within one week. There was no gender difference in prevalence of non-obstructive disease, (p=0.64), but men had had multi-vessel/left main disease much more often than women (33.6% vs. 19.2%; p&lt;0.001). In-hospital mortality was low, 3% in women vs. 1% in men, crude OR women vs. men 2.83 (95% CI 1.32 – 6.03). Female gender appeared as an independent predictor in the multivariable model of in-hospital mortality, OR 2.85 (95% CI 1.31– 6.19). When the cohort was followed up to 10 years (mean 5.4 years) the risk of mortality was not higher in women (hazard ratio [HR] 0.93, 95% CI 0.60 – 1.45; p=0.75), and men had significantly higher risk of a second new MI during the following 10 years, HR 1.82 (95% CI 1.25 – 2.65; p=0.002). In the beginning of the 21st century there was a shift in reperfusion strategy with a decline in use of fibrinolytic therapy and an increase in use of primary PCI. We hypothesised that the gender differences noticed during the fibrinolytic era with lower chance of receiving reperfusion therapy and higher risk of early mortality in women, would have diminished during the new primary PCI era, as this is a better reperfusion strategy, especially for women. In Paper III we included STEMI patients from two time periods with different dominating reperfusion strategies in order to compare management and outcome between genders in both periods. Patients in the early period (n=15 697, 35% women) were registered in RIKS-HIA between 1st Jan 1998 and 31st Dec 2000 and those in the late period (n=14 380, 35% women) between 1st Jan 2004 and 31st Dec 2006. Among patients treated with reperfusion therapy 9% in the early compared to 68% in the late period were treated with primary PCI. The use of reperfusion therapy increased between the two periods, in men from 70.9% to 75.3%, in women from 63.1% to 63.6%. After multivariable adjustment, women were 14% and 20% less likely than men to receive reperfusion therapy, early and late periods, respectively. Heart failure, cardiogenic chock and major bleedings were more common in women compared to men. Evidence-based secondary preventive therapies were prescribed more often in the late compared to the early period in both genders, but more seldom to women in both periods. After multivariable adjustments women still had less chance of receiving ACE-inhibitors/ARBs but higher chance of receiving statins in the early period. In the late period women had 14 – 25% less chance of receiving any of the evidence-based secondary preventive therapies. In Paper IV all consecutive patients who fulfilled the criteria for ST-elevation or bundle branch block on admission ECG and who were planned to undergo immediate coronary angiography with the intention to perform primary PCI at the Department of Cardiology in Linköping were included, 98 women and 176 men. Estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] according to Modification of Diet in Renal Disease study [MDRD] was calculated for all patients and they were staged into CKD stages 1-5. Estimated GFR was lower in women than in men, mean eGFR 54 vs. 68 mL/min/1.73m2, p&lt;0.001. Ten men but no woman were classified belonging to the best CKD stage 1(eGFR &gt;90 mL/min/1.73m2). In total 67% of women compared to 27% of men were classified as having renal insufficiency [RI] (eGFR &lt;60 mL/min/1.73m2) and female sex was a strong independent factor associated with RI, OR 5.06 (95% CI 2.66 – 9.59). Reduced eGFR per 10 mL/min decline was independently associated to higher risk of death and MACE (death, new MI or stroke) within one year in women whereas we found no such associations in men. There was a borderline significant interaction between gender and eGFR regarding one year mortality (p=0.08) but not regarding MACE (p=0.11). As we found a remarkable gender difference in RI prevalence in Paper  IV, we analysed an updated SWEDEHEART database including the years since S-creatinine became a mandatory variable to register. In Paper V all STEMI patients registered between 1st of Jan 2003 and 31st of Dec 2009 were included, in total 37 991 patients (36% women). RI was present in 38% in women vs. 19% in men according to MDRD and in 50% of men vs. 22% of men according to Cockcroft Gault [CG] (p&lt;0.001 for both comparisons). Female gender was independently associated with RI regardless of used formula. In both genders, RI patients were older, had higher co-morbidity, suffered from more complications and had lower chance of receiving reperfusion therapy and evidence-based therapy at discharge compared to non RI patients. Among both RI and non RI patients, men had significantly higher chance than women of getting these therapies. In-hospital mortality was four to five times higher in RI vs. non RI patients. RI compared to non RI patients had approximately doubled risk of inhospital mortality in women and 2.5 times higher risk in men after multivariable adjustment. Regardless of used formula, the risk of dying at hospital increased with approximately 30% and the risk of long term mortality with approximately 10% in both genders per 10 mL/min decline of eGFR. There was no significant interaction between gender and eGFR regarding short- or long term outcome according to any of the formulas. Women had twice as high in-hospital and also higher cumulative long term mortality than men. After multivariable adjustments including all confounders except kidney function women had 7% lower risk of long term mortality but still 11% higher risk of in-hospital mortality. If eGFR according to any of the formulas was also included, there was no longer a gender difference regarding in-hospital mortality and women had lower risk of long term mortality. This was also the case if only adjusting for eGFR according to CG. Conclusion: In the real life STEMI setting, women were older with higher co-morbidity, longer delay, more complications and twice as high in-hospital mortality. They had significantly less chance of receiving acute reperfusion therapy, also after adjusting for possible confounders. During the fibrinolytic era women had higher risk of severe bleedings. We hypothesised that the gap in management would have decreased during the new primary PCI era, with a less time-dependent regime with less risk of fatal complications. Our hypothesis failed, and future studies ought to further scrutinise this gender difference in management. The less chance of reperfusion therapy did anyhow not explain the higher in-hospital mortality in women, which was 10-20% higher after multivariable adjustments, consistent with previous findings. Moderate to severe chronic kidney disease was very common in women with STEMI, 50% according to the Cockcroft Gault formula. Estimated GFR has seldom been taken into account in studies evaluating gender differences in outcome. If adjustment for eGFR was done, alone or added to the all other co-variates, women had no longer higher risk of in-hospital mortality. Adjusted long term outcome was better in women than in men, which was also the case in the youngest cohort when studied separately

Management and Outcome in ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction from a Gender Perspective

The aim of this thesis was to evaluate baseline characteristics, management and outcome in real life ST-elevation myocardial infarction [STEMI] cohorts from a gender perspective. We aimed to evaluate the total STEMI population as well as certain subgroups, such as the youngest. Moreover we aimed to analyse gender differences in renal function, and the prognostic impact of reduced renal function in men and women with STEMI. In Paper I all STEMI patients registered in RIKS-HIA between 1st Jan 1995 and 31st Dec 2006 were included, in total 54 146 patients, 35% women. Women were 7 years older than men, with 30 min longer median symptomto-door time. They had higher prevalence of co-morbidities such as diabetes, hypertension and heart failure whereas men were more often smokers, had a previous myocardial infarction [MI] or were previously revascularised. During hospital care, fewer women than men, 63% vs. 72%, p&lt;0.001, received acute reperfusion therapy, odds ratio [OR] 0.83 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.79 – 0.88) after multivariable adjustment. Inhospital mortality was 13% vs. 7%, women vs. men, p&lt;0.001. After multivariable adjustments women had 22% higher risk of in-hospital death, OR 1.22 (95% CI 1.11 – 1.33). Adding reperfusion therapy to the adjustment model did not change the odds of death, OR 1.21 (1.11 – 1.32). Stratifying the cohort into four age-groups revealed increased mortality with increasing age as well as higher mortality in women than in men in all groups. The multivariable adjusted risk in women relative to men was highest amongst the youngest, OR 1.45 (95% CI 0.98 – 2.14). The long term prognosis was assessed in women vs. men with Cox proportional regression analyses, follow-up time 1 to 13 years. Women had 8% lower risk of long term mortality after multivariable adjustments, and after age-stratifying, women had better long term survival in all age-groups, except the youngest. Previous studies based on mixed MI cohorts had found a gender-age interaction with higher risk of death women relative to men in the youngest group. In Paper II we included all STEMI patients &lt;46 years old registered in RIKS-HIA between 1st Jan 1995 and 31st Dec 2006, 1748 men and 384 women. Cardiovascular risk factors were common, and women had more often clustering of risk factors compared to men. The most prevalent risk factor was smoking, 64% of the women compared to 58% of the men were current smokers. There was no gender difference in delay times or in rate of reperfusion. Almost 60% of both women and men underwent coronary angiography within one week. There was no gender difference in prevalence of non-obstructive disease, (p=0.64), but men had had multi-vessel/left main disease much more often than women (33.6% vs. 19.2%; p&lt;0.001). In-hospital mortality was low, 3% in women vs. 1% in men, crude OR women vs. men 2.83 (95% CI 1.32 – 6.03). Female gender appeared as an independent predictor in the multivariable model of in-hospital mortality, OR 2.85 (95% CI 1.31– 6.19). When the cohort was followed up to 10 years (mean 5.4 years) the risk of mortality was not higher in women (hazard ratio [HR] 0.93, 95% CI 0.60 – 1.45; p=0.75), and men had significantly higher risk of a second new MI during the following 10 years, HR 1.82 (95% CI 1.25 – 2.65; p=0.002). In the beginning of the 21st century there was a shift in reperfusion strategy with a decline in use of fibrinolytic therapy and an increase in use of primary PCI. We hypothesised that the gender differences noticed during the fibrinolytic era with lower chance of receiving reperfusion therapy and higher risk of early mortality in women, would have diminished during the new primary PCI era, as this is a better reperfusion strategy, especially for women. In Paper III we included STEMI patients from two time periods with different dominating reperfusion strategies in order to compare management and outcome between genders in both periods. Patients in the early period (n=15 697, 35% women) were registered in RIKS-HIA between 1st Jan 1998 and 31st Dec 2000 and those in the late period (n=14 380, 35% women) between 1st Jan 2004 and 31st Dec 2006. Among patients treated with reperfusion therapy 9% in the early compared to 68% in the late period were treated with primary PCI. The use of reperfusion therapy increased between the two periods, in men from 70.9% to 75.3%, in women from 63.1% to 63.6%. After multivariable adjustment, women were 14% and 20% less likely than men to receive reperfusion therapy, early and late periods, respectively. Heart failure, cardiogenic chock and major bleedings were more common in women compared to men. Evidence-based secondary preventive therapies were prescribed more often in the late compared to the early period in both genders, but more seldom to women in both periods. After multivariable adjustments women still had less chance of receiving ACE-inhibitors/ARBs but higher chance of receiving statins in the early period. In the late period women had 14 – 25% less chance of receiving any of the evidence-based secondary preventive therapies. In Paper IV all consecutive patients who fulfilled the criteria for ST-elevation or bundle branch block on admission ECG and who were planned to undergo immediate coronary angiography with the intention to perform primary PCI at the Department of Cardiology in Linköping were included, 98 women and 176 men. Estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] according to Modification of Diet in Renal Disease study [MDRD] was calculated for all patients and they were staged into CKD stages 1-5. Estimated GFR was lower in women than in men, mean eGFR 54 vs. 68 mL/min/1.73m2, p&lt;0.001. Ten men but no woman were classified belonging to the best CKD stage 1(eGFR &gt;90 mL/min/1.73m2). In total 67% of women compared to 27% of men were classified as having renal insufficiency [RI] (eGFR &lt;60 mL/min/1.73m2) and female sex was a strong independent factor associated with RI, OR 5.06 (95% CI 2.66 – 9.59). Reduced eGFR per 10 mL/min decline was independently associated to higher risk of death and MACE (death, new MI or stroke) within one year in women whereas we found no such associations in men. There was a borderline significant interaction between gender and eGFR regarding one year mortality (p=0.08) but not regarding MACE (p=0.11). As we found a remarkable gender difference in RI prevalence in Paper  IV, we analysed an updated SWEDEHEART database including the years since S-creatinine became a mandatory variable to register. In Paper V all STEMI patients registered between 1st of Jan 2003 and 31st of Dec 2009 were included, in total 37 991 patients (36% women). RI was present in 38% in women vs. 19% in men according to MDRD and in 50% of men vs. 22% of men according to Cockcroft Gault [CG] (p&lt;0.001 for both comparisons). Female gender was independently associated with RI regardless of used formula. In both genders, RI patients were older, had higher co-morbidity, suffered from more complications and had lower chance of receiving reperfusion therapy and evidence-based therapy at discharge compared to non RI patients. Among both RI and non RI patients, men had significantly higher chance than women of getting these therapies. In-hospital mortality was four to five times higher in RI vs. non RI patients. RI compared to non RI patients had approximately doubled risk of inhospital mortality in women and 2.5 times higher risk in men after multivariable adjustment. Regardless of used formula, the risk of dying at hospital increased with approximately 30% and the risk of long term mortality with approximately 10% in both genders per 10 mL/min decline of eGFR. There was no significant interaction between gender and eGFR regarding short- or long term outcome according to any of the formulas. Women had twice as high in-hospital and also higher cumulative long term mortality than men. After multivariable adjustments including all confounders except kidney function women had 7% lower risk of long term mortality but still 11% higher risk of in-hospital mortality. If eGFR according to any of the formulas was also included, there was no longer a gender difference regarding in-hospital mortality and women had lower risk of long term mortality. This was also the case if only adjusting for eGFR according to CG. Conclusion: In the real life STEMI setting, women were older with higher co-morbidity, longer delay, more complications and twice as high in-hospital mortality. They had significantly less chance of receiving acute reperfusion therapy, also after adjusting for possible confounders. During the fibrinolytic era women had higher risk of severe bleedings. We hypothesised that the gap in management would have decreased during the new primary PCI era, with a less time-dependent regime with less risk of fatal complications. Our hypothesis failed, and future studies ought to further scrutinise this gender difference in management. The less chance of reperfusion therapy did anyhow not explain the higher in-hospital mortality in women, which was 10-20% higher after multivariable adjustments, consistent with previous findings. Moderate to severe chronic kidney disease was very common in women with STEMI, 50% according to the Cockcroft Gault formula. Estimated GFR has seldom been taken into account in studies evaluating gender differences in outcome. If adjustment for eGFR was done, alone or added to the all other co-variates, women had no longer higher risk of in-hospital mortality. Adjusted long term outcome was better in women than in men, which was also the case in the youngest cohort when studied separately

Time trends in STEMI—improved treatment and outcome but still a gender gap : a prospective observational cohort study from the SWEDEHEART register

Objective In ST elevation myocardial infarction women received less evidence-based medicine and had worse outcome during the fibrinolytic era. With the shift to primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) as preferred reperfusion strategy, the authors aimed to investigate whether these gender differences has diminished. Design, setting and participants Cohort study including consecutive ST elevation myocardial infarction patients registered 1998–2000 (n=15 697) and 2004–2006 (n=14 380) in the Register of Information and Knowledge about Swedish Heart Intensive care Admissions. Outcome measures 1. Use of evidence-based medicine such as reperfusion therapy (pPCI or fibrinolysis) and evidence-based drugs at discharge. 2. Inhospital and 1-year mortality. Results Of those who got reperfusion therapy, pPCI was the choice in 9% in the early period compared with 68% in the late period. In the early period, reperfusion therapy was given to 63% of women versus 71% of men, p&lt;0.001. Corresponding figures in the late period were 64% vs 75%, p&lt;0.001. After multivariable adjustments, the ORs (women vs men) were 0.86 (95% CI 0.78 to 0.94) in the early and 0.80 (95% CI 0.73 to 0.89) in the late period. As regards evidence-based secondary preventive drugs at discharge in hospital survivors (platelet inhibitors, statins, ACE inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers and β-blockers), there were small gender differences in the early period. In the late period, women had 14%–25% less chance of receiving these drugs, OR 0.75 (95% CI 0.68 to 0.81) through 0.86 (95% CI 0.73 to 1.00). In both periods, multivariable-adjusted inhospital mortality was higher in women, OR 1.18 (95% CI 1.02 to 1.36) and 1.21 (1.00 to 1.46). One-year mortality was gender equal, HR 0.95 (95% CI 0.87 to 1.05) and 0.96 (0.86 to 1.08), after adding evidence-based medicine to the multivariable adjustments. Conclusion In spite of an intense gender debate, focus on guideline adherence and the change in reperfusion strategy, the last decade gender differences in use of reperfusion therapy and evidence-based therapy at discharge did not decline during the study period, rather the opposite. Moreover, higher mortality in women persisted

Chewed ticagrelor tablets provide faster platelet inhibition compared to integral tablets : The inhibition of platelet aggregation after administration of three different ticagrelor formulations (IPAAD-Tica) study, a randomised controlled trial.

AIMS: To provide pharmacodynamic data of crushed and chewed ticagrelor tablets, in comparison with standard integral tablets. METHODS: Ninety nine patients with stable angina were randomly assigned, in a 3:1:1 fashion, to one of the following 180mg ticagrelor loading dose (LD) formulations: A) Integral B) Crushed or C) Chewed tablets. Platelet reactivity (PR) was assessed with VerifyNow before, 20 and 60min after LD. High residual platelet reactivity (HRPR) was defined as &gt;208 P2Y12 reaction units (PRU). RESULTS: There was no significant difference in PRU values at baseline. PRU 20min after LD were 237 (182-295), 112 (53-238) and 84 (29-129) and 60min after LD, 56 (15-150), 51 (18-85) and 9 (7-34) in integral, crushed and chewed ticagrelor LD, respectively (p&lt;0.01 for both). Chewed ticagrelor tablets resulted in significantly lower PRU values compared to crushed or integral tablets at 20 and 60min. Crushed ticagrelor LD resulted in significantly lower PRU values compared to integral tablets at 20min whereas no difference was observed at 60min. At 20min, no patients had HRPR with chewed ticagrelor compared to 68% with integral and 30% with crushed ticagrelor LD (p&lt;0.01). CONCLUSION: With crushed or chewed ticagrelor tablets a more rapid platelet inhibition may be achieved, compared to standard integral tablets. We also show that administration of chewed tablets is feasible and provides faster inhibition than either crushed or integral tablets. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: European Clinical Trial Database (EudraCT number 2014-002227-96).Funding agencies: AstraZeneca</p

Gender difference in prognostic impact of in-hospital bleeding after myocardial infarction - data from the SWEDEHEART registry.

BACKGROUND: Bleeding complications increase mortality in myocardial infarction patients. Potential gender difference in bleeding regarding prevalence and prognostic impact is still controversial. OBJECTIVES: Gender comparison regarding incidence and prognostic impact of bleeding in patients hospitalised with myocardial infarction during 2006-2008. METHODS: Observational study from the SWEDEHEART register. Outcomes were in-hospital bleedings, in-hospital mortality and one-year mortality in hospital survivors. RESULTS: A total number of 50,399 myocardial infarction patients were included, 36.6% women. In-hospital bleedings were more common in women (1.9% vs. 3.1%, p&lt;0.001) even after multivariable adjustment (odds ratio (OR) 1.17, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01-1.37). The increased risk for women was found in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.10-1.94) and in those who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (OR 1.80, 95% CI 1.45-2.24). In contrast the risk was lower in medically treated women (OR 0.79, 95% CI 0.62-1.00). After adjustment, in-hospital bleeding was associated with higher risk of one-year mortality in men (OR 1.35, 95% CI 1.04-1.74), whereas this was not the case in women (OR 0.97, 95% CI 0.72-1.31). CONCLUSIONS: Female gender is an independent risk factor of in-hospital bleeding after myocardial infarction. A higher bleeding risk in women appeared to be restricted to invasively treated patients and ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients. Even though women have higher short- and long-term mortality, there was no difference between the genders among bleeders. After multivariable adjustment the prognostic impact of bleeding complications was higher in men

Open Access

Time trends in STEMI—improved treatment and outcome but still a gender gap: a prospective observational cohort study from the SWEDEHEART registe

Gender disparities in first medical contact and delay in ST-elevation myocardial infarction : a prospective multicentre Swedish survey study

OBJECTIVES: Compare gender disparities in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) regarding first medical contact (FMC) and prehospital delay times and explore factors associated with prehospital delay in men and women separately. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study based on medical records and a validated questionnaire. Eligible patients were enrolled within 24 hours after admittance to hospital. SETTING: Patients were included from November 2012 to January 2014 from five Swedish hospitals with catheterisation facilities 24/7. PARTICIPANTS: 340 men and 109 women aged between 31 and 95 years completed the survey. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: FMC were divided into five possible contacts: primary healthcare centre by phone or directly, national advisory nurse by phone, emergency medical services (EMS) and emergency room directly. Two parts of prehospital delay times were studied: time from symptom onset to FMC and time from symptom onset to diagnostic ECG. RESULTS: Women more often called an advisory nurse as FMC (28% vs 18%, p=0.02). They had a longer delay until FMC, 90 (IQR 39-221) vs 66 (28-161) min, p=0.04 and until ECG, 146 (68-316) vs 103 (61-221) min, p=0.03. Men went to hospital because of believing they were stricken by an MI to a higher extent than women did (25% vs 15%, p=0.04) and were more often recommended to call EMS by bystanders (38% vs 22%, p&lt;0.01). Hesitating about going to hospital and experiencing pain in the stomach/back/shoulders were factors associated with longer delays in women. Believing the symptoms would disappear or interpreting them as nothing serious were corresponding factors in men. In both genders bystanders acting by contacting EMS explained shorter prehospital delays. CONCLUSIONS: In STEMI, women differed from men in FMC and they had longer delays. This was partly due to atypical symptoms and a longer decision time. Bystanders acted more promptly when men than when women fell ill. Public knowledge of MI symptoms, and how to act properly, still seems insufficient