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Female veterans undergoing cardiac catheterization have different characteristics than men
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Female and male veterans undergoing cardiac catheterization present with different characteristics but similar long-term outcomes, according to new findings from the VA Clinical Assessment Reporting and Tracking Program.
Researchers examined data on 85,936 veterans (3,181 women) who underwent initial cardiac catheterization in the VA health care system from October 2007 to September 2012. They compared differences by sex in demographics, indications, coronary anatomy, cardiac treatments and outcomes.
Compared with males, female veterans who had cardiac catheterization are more likely to be younger (56.9 years vs. 63 years), obese (57.2% vs. 46.6%), depressed (55.3% vs. 31.4%) or have posttraumatic stress disorder (20.1% vs. 16.3%; P < .0001 for all). Further, women were less likely than men to have traditional CV risk factors and obstructive CAD (22.6% vs. 53.3%; P < .0001).
“These findings suggest a significant portion of women veterans may have chest pain not attributable to obstructive [CAD],” Melinda B. Davis, MD, from the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System and the University of Michigan Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, Mich., and colleagues wrote.
Rates of procedural complications were similar in both sexes, the researchers found.
At 1 year, adjusted outcomes indicated that women had lower mortality (HR = 0.74; 95% CI, 0.6-0.92), lower rates of unplanned CABG (HR = 0.58; 95% CI, 0.42-0.79) and less all-cause hospitalization (HR = 0.87; 95% CI, 0.82-0.93) compared with men. There were no differences between men and women in unplanned PCI (HR = 1.03; 95% CI, 0.84-1.27) or rehospitalization for MI (HR = 1.19; 95% CI, 0.79-1.8), according to the results.
“Investigating the reasons behind these findings and developing effective approaches based on those insights could potentially help address the gender differences in heart disease we see in the general population,” Claire Duvernoy, MD, chief of cardiology at VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System and cardiologist at the University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center, said in a press release. – by Erik Swain
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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