Editor's Choice-Sex differences in young patients with acute myocardial infarction: A VIRGO study analysis

Eliminating the Sex and Gender Gap and Transforming the Cardiovascular Health of All Women

Critical to eliminating the sex and gender gap in cardiovascular health is addressing known differences in disease burden, disparities in treatment and clinical outcomes, and the scientific importance of sex as a biological variable that influences resilience, pathophysiology, and ultimately the health of women. Furthermore, key disparities exist at the intersection of sex/gender and race/ethnicity where women of color are disproportionately affected by higher burden of disease and poorer outcomes in several cardiovascular conditions. Through efforts to galvanize strategic partnerships, The NHLBI Strategic Vision sets forth research priorities across all of its objectives relevant to the cardiovascular health of women; it encourages strategic partnerships in both establishing and implementing research priorities. The Vision promotes a promise of precision medicine that embraces sex as its highest order, leverages an integrated approach to data science, explores sex influences on molecular underpinnings of disease, and advances sex-specific and race-sex interaction analyses toward the elimination of gaps in the cardiovascular care and health of all women.

Twenty Year Trends and Sex Differences in Young Adults Hospitalized With Acute Myocardial Infarction

BACKGROUND

Sex differences are known to exist in the management of older patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Few studies have examined the incidence and risk factors of AMI among young patients, or whether clinical management differs by sex.

METHODS

The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Surveillance study conducts hospital surveillance of AMI in 4 US communities (MD, MN, MS, and NC). AMI was classified by physician review, using a validated algorithm. Medications and procedures were abstracted from the medical record. Our study population was limited to young patients aged 35 to 54 years.

RESULTS

From 1995 to 2014, 28 732 weighted hospitalizations for AMI were sampled among patients aged 35 to 74 years. Of these, 8737 (30%) were young. The annual incidence of AMI hospitalizations increased for young women but decreased for young men. The overall proportion of AMI admissions attributable to young patients steadily increased, from 27% in 1995 to 1999 to 32% in 2010 to 2014 ( P for trend=0.002), with the largest increase observed in young women. History of hypertension (59% to 73%, P for trend<0.0001) and diabetes mellitus (25% to 35%, P for trend<0.0001) also increased among young AMI patients. Compared to young men, young women presenting with AMI were more often black and had a greater comorbidity burden. In adjusted analyses, young women had a lower probability of receiving lipid-lowering therapies (relative risk [RR]=0.87; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.80-0.94), nonaspirin antiplatelets (RR=0.83; 95% CI, 0.75-0.91), beta blockers (RR=0.96; 95% CI, 0.91-0.99), coronary angiography (RR=0.93; 95% CI, 0.86-0.99) and coronary revascularization (RR = 0.79; 95% CI, 0.71-0.87). However, 1-year all-cause mortality was comparable for women versus men (HR=1.10; 95% CI, 0.83-1.45).

CONCLUSIONS

The proportion of AMI hospitalizations attributable to young patients increased from 1995 to 2014 and was especially pronounced among women. History of hypertension and diabetes among young patients admitted with AMI increased over time as well. Compared with young men, young women presenting with AMI had a lower likelihood of receiving guideline-based AMI therapies. A better understanding of factors underlying these changes is needed to improve care of young patients with AMI.

Gender and age differences in outcomes of patients with acute coronary syndromes referred for coronary angiography

OBJECTIVES

The number of elderly patients undergoing coronary revascularization is steadily increasing, and data on the impact of gender on outcomes are scarce. This study sought to assess gender-related differences in outcomes in elderly patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS).

METHODS

We investigated outcomes in elderly ACS patients referred for coronary angiography and prospectively enrolled in the Swiss ACS Cohort between December 2009 and October 2012. Adjudicated major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) included all-cause death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, clinically indicated repeat coronary revascularization, definite stent thrombosis, and transient ischemic attack/stroke.

RESULTS

Among 2,168 patients recruited, 481 (22%) patients were >75 years of age (37% women). In patients >75 years, 1-year MACCE rates were 15% and 23% in women and men (OR 0.59, 95% CI 0.36-0.97, P = 0.04), respectively, and differences remained significant after adjustments for baseline variables (adjusted OR 0.48, 95% CI 0.26-0.90, P = 0.02). Women >75 years had a lower cardiovascular mortality (6% versus 12%, adjusted OR 0.31, 95% CI 0.12-0.81, P = 0.02). In patients ≤75 years, 1-year MACCE rates did not differ between gender (10% and 8% for women and men, adjusted OR 1.28, 95% CI 0.77-2.14, P = 0.34). Rates of TIMI major bleeding for women and men were 4% and 4% in patients >75 years (P = 0.96), and 5% and 3% in those ≤75 years (P = 0.11).

CONCLUSIONS

The low rates of MACCE observed in elderly women in this patient cohort suggest that with current interventional strategies the gender gap in ACS management has been attenuated.

Development and validation of Women Acute Myocardial Infarction in-Hospital Mortality Score (WAMI Score)

BACKGROUND

A variety of risk models have been developed to predict acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in-hospital mortality risk. As a distinct, higher-risk population, women with AMI have different risk profiles from their men counterparts. Published researches have indicated that the interaction between variables in these models for in-hospital mortality and gender are significant. Due to the interaction and gender differences, the predicting value of these risk models for women could be controversial.

METHODS

Databases from the China Patient-centered Evaluative Assessment of Cardiac Events (China PEACE) Retrospective AMI Study were utilized for model derivation (n=16,100, women were 4896) and databases from the China PEACE Prospective AMI Study for model validation (n=6207, women were 2090). A multivariable backward stepwise logistic regression was used to examine correlates of in-hospital mortality, and the variables were subsequently weighted and integrated into a scoring system.

RESULTS

We constructed a novel risk-predicting tool to estimate the baseline risk of in-hospital mortality among women with AMI. The risk score includes 8 variables [age, systolic blood pressure, heart rate, initial glomerular filtration rate (GFR), serum glucose, Killip class, cardiac arrest, ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation (VT/VF)]. The prognostic discriminatory capacity of the Women Acute Myocardial Infarction in-Hospital Mortality (WAMI) risk score was excellent (c statistic 0.84, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.83 to 0.86, p<0.001). External validation of the model showed better prognostic capacity (c statistic 0.87, 95% CI: 0.84 to 0.90, p<0.001) than the GRACE risk score (0.77, 95% CI 0.72-0.82, p<0.001) and TIMI risk score (0.72, 95% CI 0.68-0.77, p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The WAMI Score is a simple robust tool for predicting the in-hospital mortality risk of women with AMI.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

"China PEACE-Retrospective AMI Study", NCT01624883, retrospectively registered: April 2012. Date of enrolment of the first participant to the trial: June 17, 2012. "China PEACE-Prospective AMI Study", NCT01624909, prospectively registered: December 2012. Date of enrolment of the first participant to the trial: June 17, 2012.

Stable Ischemic Heart Disease in Women

PURPOSE OF THE REVIEW

Paradoxically, although women have a lower burden of coronary atherosclerosis, they experience more symptoms, more frequent hospitalizations, and a worse prognosis compared to men. This is in part due to biological variations in pathophysiology between the two sexes, and in part related to inadequate understanding of these differences, subconscious referral bias, and suboptimal application of existing women-specific guidelines. We sought to review the contemporary literature and provide an update on risk assessment, diagnosis, and management of IHD in women.

RECENT FINDINGS

IHD in women is often secondary to diffuse non-obstructive atherosclerosis, coronary spasm, inflammation, and endothelial and microvascular dysfunction, and less commonly due to the male pattern of flow-limiting epicardial stenosis. Both IHD patterns likely represent sex-specific manifestations of the same disease process. Additionally, there is a differential expression of risk factors and symptoms between men and women. Application of male-pattern IHD risk factors and presentation to women contributes to under-recognition, under-testing, and under-treatment of IHD in women compared to men. Traditional diagnostic evaluation has focused on detection of epicardial disease, amenable to revascularization. Our improved understanding of sex-specific pathophysiology of IHD has enabled us to also develop tools for detection of microvascular disease. Advances in stress MRI, flow quantification on stress PET, and provocative invasive angiography have filled this void and offer important diagnostic and prognostic information. Despite our improved understanding of sex-specific differences in presentation, risk factors, pathophysiology, diagnostic testing, and management strategies of IHD, women with IHD continue to experience worse outcomes than men. This disparity underscores the need for improved research and understanding of biological sex differences, elimination of subconscious gender bias in referral patterns, and improved application of existing research into clinical practice.

Effect of the Metabolic Syndrome on Outcomes in Patients Aged <50 Years Versus >50 Years With Acute Myocardial Infarction

The presence of metabolic syndrome (MS) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality. Moreover, data are lacking on the association of MS with clinical outcomes in young adults with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). This study was a retrospective analysis of 2,082 patients with AMI who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention. The term young was defined as age <50 years. The prevalence of patients aged <50 years was 18.4%. Among those patients, 43.4% had MS. The highest incidence of long-term major adverse cardiac and cerebral events was in old patients without MS (30.7% in young patients with MS, 22.2% in young patients without MS, 38.4% in old patients with MS, and 40.4% in old patients without MS, p <0.001). However, recurrent AMI (re-AMI) was the highest in young AMI patients with MS (4.8%, 1.4%, 2.1%, and 1.5%, p = 0.035, respectively). In Kaplan-Meier curve, young AMI patients with MS tend to have highest incidence of re-AMI (p = 0.050). The presence of MS in young AMI patients was an independent predictor of 6-year major adverse cardiac and cerebral events (hazard ratio 3.320, 95% confidence interval 1.073 to 10.283, p = 0.038) and re-AMI (hazard ratio 7.782, 95% confidence interval 1.290 to 45.298, p = 0.022). In conclusion, almost half of young patients with AMI had MS. The young AMI patients with MS had the highest incidence of re-AMI compared with the other groups. Aggressive pharmacological intervention and lifestyle modification are needed for the management of AMI in young patients with MS.

Acute myocardial infarction in young women: current perspectives

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is the leading cause of death in women worldwide. Every year, in the USA alone, more than 30,000 young women <55 years of age are hospitalized with AMI. In recent decades, the incidence of AMI is increasing in younger women in the context of increasing metabolic syndrome, diabetes mellitus, and non-traditional risk factors such as stress, anxiety, and depression. Although women are classically considered to present with atypical chest pain, several observational data confirm that men and women experience similar rates of chest pain, with some differences in intensity, duration, radiation, and the choice of descriptors. Women also experience more number of symptoms and more prodromal symptoms compared with men. Suboptimal awareness, sociocultural and financial reasons result in pre-hospital delays in women and lower rates of access to care with resulting undertreatment with guideline-directed therapies. Causes of AMI in young women include plaque-related MI, microvascular dysfunction or vasospasm, and spontaneous coronary artery dissection. Compared with men, women have greater in-hospital, early and late mortality, as a result of baseline comorbidities. Post-AMI women have lower referral to cardiac rehabilitation with more dropouts, lower levels of physical activity, and poorer improvements in health status compared with men, with higher inflammatory levels at 1-year from index presentation. Future strategies should focus on primary and secondary prevention, adherence, and post-AMI health-related quality of life. This review discusses the current evidence in the epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment of AMI in young women.

Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection: Current State of the Science: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) has emerged as an important cause of acute coronary syndrome, myocardial infarction, and sudden death, particularly among young women and individuals with few conventional atherosclerotic risk factors. Patient-initiated research has spurred increased awareness of SCAD, and improved diagnostic capabilities and findings from large case series have led to changes in approaches to initial and long-term management and increasing evidence that SCAD not only is more common than previously believed but also must be evaluated and treated differently from atherosclerotic myocardial infarction. High rates of recurrent SCAD; its association with female sex, pregnancy, and physical and emotional stress triggers; and concurrent systemic arteriopathies, particularly fibromuscular dysplasia, highlight the differences in clinical characteristics of SCAD compared with atherosclerotic disease. Recent insights into the causes of, clinical course of, treatment options for, outcomes of, and associated conditions of SCAD and the many persistent knowledge gaps are presented.

Reprint of: Proteomics in cardiovascular diseases: Unveiling sex and gender differences in the era of precision medicine

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) represent the most important cause of mortality in women and in men. Contrary to the long-standing notion that the effects of the major risk factors on CVD outcomes are the same in both sexes, recent evidence recognizes new, potentially independent, sex/gender-related risk factors for CVDs, and sex/gender-differences in the clinical presentation of CVDs have been demonstrated. Furthermore, some therapeutic options may not be equally effective and safe in men and women. In this context, proteomics offers an extremely useful and versatile analytical platform for biomedical researches that expand from the screening of early diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers to the investigation of the molecular mechanisms underlying CDVs. In this review, we summarized the current applications of proteomics in the cardiovascular field, with emphasis on sex and gender-related differences in CVDs.

SIGNIFICANCE

Increasing evidence supports the profound effect of sex and gender on cardiovascular physio-pathology and the response to drugs. A clear understanding of the mechanisms underlying sexual dimorphisms in CVDs would not only improve our knowledge of the etiology of these diseases, but could also inform health policy makers and guideline committees in tailoring specific interventions for the prevention, treatment and management of CVDs in both men and women.

Proteomics in cardiovascular diseases: Unveiling sex and gender differences in the era of precision medicine

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) represent the most important cause of mortality in women and in men. Contrary to the long-standing notion that the effects of the major risk factors on CVD outcomes are the same in both sexes, recent evidence recognizes new, potentially independent, sex/gender-related risk factors for CVDs, and sex/gender-differences in the clinical presentation of CVDs have been demonstrated. Furthermore, some therapeutic options may not be equally effective and safe in men and women. In this context, proteomics offers an extremely useful and versatile analytical platform for biomedical researches that expand from the screening of early diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers to the investigation of the molecular mechanisms underlying CDVs. In this review, we summarized the current applications of proteomics in the cardiovascular field, with emphasis on sex and gender-related differences in CVDs.

SIGNIFICANCE

Increasing evidence supports the profound effect of sex and gender on cardiovascular physio-pathology and the response to drugs. A clear understanding of the mechanisms underlying sexual dimorphisms in CVDs would not only improve our knowledge of the etiology of these diseases, but could also inform health policy makers and guideline committees in tailoring specific interventions for the prevention, treatment and management of CVDs in both men and women.

Cardiovascular Risk and Statin Eligibility of Young Adults After an MI: Partners YOUNG-MI Registry

BACKGROUND

Despite significant progress in primary prevention, the rate of MI has not declined in young adults.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to evaluate statin eligibility based on the 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines for treatment of blood cholesterol and 2016 U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations for statin use in primary prevention in a cohort of adults who experienced a first-time myocardial infarction (MI) at a young age.

METHODS

The YOUNG-MI registry is a retrospective cohort from 2 large academic centers, which includes patients who experienced an MI at age ≤50 years. Diagnosis of type 1 MI was adjudicated by study physicians. Pooled cohort risk equations were used to estimate atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk score based on data available prior to MI or at the time of presentation.

RESULTS

Of 1,685 patients meeting inclusion criteria, 210 (12.5%) were on statin therapy prior to MI and were excluded. Among the remaining 1,475 individuals, the median age was 45 years, there were 294 (20%) women, and 846 (57%) had ST-segment elevation MI. At least 1 cardiovascular risk factor was present in 1,225 (83%) patients. The median 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk score of the cohort was 4.8% (interquartile range: 2.8% to 8.0%). Only 724 (49%) and 430 (29%) would have met criteria for statin eligibility per the 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines and 2016 U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations, respectively. This finding was even more pronounced in women, in whom 184 (63%) were not eligible for statins by either guideline, compared with 549 (46%) men (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The vast majority of adults who present with an MI at a young age would not have met current guideline-based treatment thresholds for statin therapy prior to their MI. These findings highlight the need for better risk assessment tools among young adults.

Prehospital Delay in Older Adults with Acute Myocardial Infarction: The ComprehenSIVe Evaluation of Risk Factors in Older Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction Study

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Timely administration of antiischemic therapies improves outcomes in individuals with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Prior literature on delays in AMI care has largely focused on in-hospital delay ("door to balloon" time). Our objective was to identify factors associated with prehospital delay in a contemporary national cohort of older adults with AMI.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional analysis of data from the ComprehenSIVe Evaluation of Risk Factors in Older Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction (SILVER-AMI) study, an observational study of older adults hospitalized for AMI.

SETTING

U.S. academic and community hospitals (N = 94).

PARTICIPANTS

Individuals aged 75 and older hospitalized for AMI (N = 2,500).

MEASUREMENTS

Prehospital delay was defined as symptom duration of 6 hours or longer before hospital presentation and was obtained according to participant or caregiver report during AMI hospitalization. Potential predictors of delay from demographic, clinical presentation, comorbid conditions, function, and social support domains were obtained through in-person assessment during the index hospitalization and medical record abstraction.

RESULTS

Nonwhite race (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.54, P = .002), atypical symptoms (aOR = 1.41, P = .001), and heart failure (HF) (aOR = 1.35, P = .006 for HF) were significantly associated with delay.

CONCLUSION

In contrast with younger AMI populations, female sex and diabetes mellitus were not associated with delay in this older cohort, but factors from other domains (nonwhite race, atypical symptoms, and HF) were significantly associated with delay. These results can be used to customize future public health efforts to encourage early presentation for older adults with AMI.

Stable ischemic heart disease in women: current perspectives

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in women accounting for 1 in every 4 female deaths. Pathophysiology of ischemic heart disease in women includes epicardial coronary artery, endothelial dysfunction, coronary vasospasm, plaque erosion and spontaneous coronary artery dissection. Angina is the most common presentation of stable ischemic heart disease (SIHD) in women. Risk factors for SIHD include traditional risks such as older age, obesity (body mass index [BMI] >25 kg/m²), smoking, hypertension, dyslipidemia, cerebrovascular and peripheral vascular disease, sedentary lifestyle, family history of premature coronary artery disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes mellitus, and nontraditional risk factors, such as gestational diabetes, insulin resistance/polycystic ovarian disease, pregnancy-induced hypertension, pre-eclampsia, eclampsia, menopause, mental stress and autoimmune diseases. Diagnostic testing can be used effectively to risk stratify women. Guidelines-directed medical therapy including aspirin, statins, beta-blocker therapy, calcium channel blockers and ranolazine should be instituted for symptom and ischemia management. Despite robust evidence regarding the adverse outcomes seen in women with ischemic heart disease, knowledge gaps exist in several areas. Future research needs to be directed toward a greater understanding of the role of nontraditional risk factors for SIHD in women, gaining deeper insights into the sex differences in therapeutic effects and formulating a sex-specific algorithm for the management of SIHD in women.

Study of young patients with myocardial infarction: Design and rationale of the YOUNG-MI Registry

The YOUNG-MI registry is a retrospective study examining a cohort of young adults age ≤ 50 years with a first-time myocardial infarction. The study will use the robust electronic health records of 2 large academic medical centers, as well as detailed chart review of all patients, to generate high-quality longitudinal data regarding the clinical characteristics, management, and outcomes of patients who experience a myocardial infarction at a young age. Our findings will provide important insights regarding prevention, risk stratification, treatment, and outcomes of cardiovascular disease in this understudied population, as well as identify disparities which, if addressed, can lead to further improvement in patient outcomes.

Young Women With Acute Myocardial Infarction: Current Perspectives

In recent years, there has been growing public awareness and increasing attention to young women with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), who represent an extreme phenotype. Young women presenting with AMI may develop coronary disease by different mechanisms and often have worse recoveries, with higher risk for morbidity and mortality compared with similarly aged men. The purpose of this cardiovascular perspective piece is to review recent studies of AMI in young women. More specifically, we emphasize differences in the epidemiology, diagnosis, and management of AMI in young women (when compared with men) across the continuum of care, including their pre-AMI, in-hospital, and post-AMI periods, and highlight gaps in knowledge and outcomes that can inform the next generation of research.