GENDER DIFFERENCES IN BASE-LINE VARIABLES, THERAPIES AND OUTCOMES IN CHINESE PATIENTS WITH ACUTE MYOCARDIAL-INFARCTION

We prospectively studied the gender differences of baseline variables, therapies, and outcomes among a cohort of 369 Chinese patients with a cute myocardial infarction from 1990 to 1995. There were 277 male and 92 female patients. The male gender had a younger mean (+/-SD) age (61 .5+/-10.7 vs. 67.1+/-11.7 years, P<0.0001). Hypercholesterolemia (201. 2+/-44.2 vs. 187.5+/-43.7 mg/dl, P=0.0111) and obesity (25.0 vs. 15.9% , P=0.0494) were more prominent in the female. Smoking was more preval ent in the male (78.3 vs. 18.5%, P<0.0001). The male group also had mo re frequent use of thrombolytic agents (19.1 vs. 9.8%, P=0.0377), beta -blockers (61.7 vs. 47.8%, P=0.0191) and heparin (25.3 vs. 12.0%, P=0. 0075); but less use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (6.9 v s. 15.2%, P=0.0149). The condition on admission was worse in the femal e group (Killip classification (1.5+/-0.9 vs. 1.9+/-1.0, P=0.0022), my ocardial failure (8.7 vs. 2.9%, P=0.0178) and cardiomegaly (65.2 vs. 5 3.1%, P=0.0419). During a follow-up duration of 26.4+/-24.1 and 22.9+/ -23.9 months respectively, the mortality rate was lower in the male (1 9.5 vs. 30.4%, P=0.0288). However after adjustment for the effect of a ge, the differences in Killip classification, myocardial failure, card iomegaly and mortality became insignificant. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.