Clinical Characteristics and Prognostic Importance of Female Gender in Unstable Angina Pectoris

It is well known that women (F) with acute myocardial infaretion (AMI) have a relatively higher risk for inhospital complications and mortality than men (M). But there are few prospective studies comparing the elinical characterist ics and prognosis of women and men with unstable angina pectoris (UAP). To evaluate the impact of fema le gender on elinical characteristics and prognosis of patients w ith UAP data (demographic and bas ic elinical characteri stics, in hospital and 30-day prognos is (mortal ity, nonfatal MI, recurrent 1 refractory ischemia and revascularization procedures)) of 81 consecutive UAP patients admitted to the emergency deparment of a tertiary cen ter were evaluated prospectively. 29,6% (n=24) of the patient population were female and avarage age was 58.2 in both groups. Sınaking (37 .5% vs 64.9%, p=0.03), hypercholesterolaemia (20.8% vs 47.4%; p=0.05) and prior revascularization (12.5% vs 43.9%, p=0,009) were less comman among women, prior MI was not different between the groups. Hospital admission rates after risk stratification was similar (F:75% vs M:78.9%). In hospit ilized patients inı urK 1\aratyot uer11111~ ~vv ı . L7 . .,vv -..,.v ..,. hospital ischemia (F:44.4% vs M:31.7%), coronary angiography (F:70.8% vs M:86%), multivessel disease (F:52.9% vs M:55.1 %) and in-hospital revascularization rates (F:27.8% vs M:24.4%) showed no difference among the groups. Women had less non-Q wave MI (5 .6% vs 15.6%), but the difference was not statistically significant. There were no deaths during the in-hospital phase. 30-day follow-up rates of both groups were similar (F:70.9% vs M:87.8%), as well as ischemia (F:41.2% vs M:26%) and revascularization rates (F: I 1.8% vs M:8%). There were no MI or death among groups. In conclusions, in our unstable angina population, women had lower rates of smoking, hyperlipidemia and prev ious revascularization rates compared to men and inhospital non-Q MI rates were lower in this group. Women in our patient population had a better prognosis regarding coronary morbidy compared with MI studies. This result can be related to the younger and better ri sk profile of the study populations as well as to different pathophysiologic and anatomic characteristics in UAP.