Impact of Gender on Clinical Characteristic, Treatment and Outcome in ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction: A Hospital Based Study from North-Eastern India

Abstract

Background: Data on impact of gender on clinical presentation of ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) are sparse in our country. Gender related difference in STEMI has never been studied in North-Eastern India. Aim: The present study was undertaken to study the impact of gender on clinical characteristic, treatment and outcome in STEMI. Methods: We prospectively collected data of 510 STEMI patients from February 2011 to August 2012 in Gauhati Medical College, a tertiary care center in North-Eastern India. We evaluated data on impact of gender in clinical characteristic, treatment, and outcome in STEMI patients. Results: A total of 510 cases of STEMI were included. Females in STEMI were older (53.6 years in males compared to 58 years in females, P<0.001) and have greater atypical presentation (31.6% in females and 13.98% in males, P<0.001). Females also have higher mean time to presentation and higher incidence of diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertension and high BMI, whereas males had higher incidence of smoking. Females are less likely to undergo thrombolysis (28.73% in females compared to 44.34% in males, p=0.04) and revascularization (17.5% in males and 9.1% in females p-0.01) during index hospitalization, but standard medical therapy was similar. Women were also more likely to develop heart failure either at presentation or at 30 days and also had a higher 30-day mortality (15.5% in female and 9.8% in male, p value-0.06). Conclusion: This study represents the first reported study on impact of gender on clinical presentation of STEMI from North-Eastern India and has observed that females have a higher mean age of presentation, higher incidence of atypical presentation, diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertension and high BMI. Females also present later than males, though statistically not significant and also less likely to receive thrombolysis and revascularization than males. The 30-day mortality was also higher in females.