What is the clinical evidence from this study?

Study design: Observational. Population: Coronary spasm (n=104). Intervention: Male gender vs. Female gender. Primary outcome: Current smoking rate (p=<0.001).

January 1, 2009Open Access

Gender Differences Among Korean Patients With Coronary Spasm

Q: What are the key findings of this study?

Among Korean patients with coronary spasm, males had significantly higher rates of current smoking (65% vs 19%) and alcohol consumption (89% vs 43%) compared to females.

Key Result

Among Korean patients with coronary spasm, males had significantly higher rates of current smoking (65% vs 19%) and alcohol consumption (89% vs 43%) compared to females.

Study Design

Type

Observational (n=104)

Multicenter

Structured PICO

Population

104 consecutive Korean patients (mean age 56, 20% female) diagnosed with coronary spasm following admission for chest pain or syncope.

Comparator

Male vs. Female patients

Outcome

Gender differences in clinical and angiographic characteristics

In Korean patients with coronary spasm, females present at a younger age and with significantly lower rates of traditional lifestyle risk factors like smoking and alcohol consumption compared to males.

Main Result

Absolute Event Rate: 65% vs 19%

p-value: p=<0.001

Limitations

Small sample size of female patients, which may have been a source of selection bias
Higher dosage of intracoronary ergonovine used than the usual dosage in other institutions
Some patients were lost during follow-up, preventing determination of event rates like death and myocardial infarction
Quantitative estimation of drinking was difficult

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The gender differences among Korean patients with coronary spasm have not been defined. We thus determined the gender differences among Korean patients with coronary spasm. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Patients with chest pain and/or syncope who were admitted to Kyungpook National University Hospital between January 2001 and August 2008 were included. Provocation of coronary vasospasm with intracoronary ergonovine maleate was performed when baseline coronary angiography showed no significant stenosis or there was a strong clinical suspicion of coronary spasm. The clinical characteristics were analyzed from 104 consecutive patients (56+/-9 years of age; 21 females) who were diagnosed with coronary spasm. RESULTS: Female patients were younger (52+/-7 vs. 57+/-10 years, p=0.046) with lower rates of smoking and alcohol consumption histories than male patients (19% vs. 65%, p<0.001; and 43% vs. 89%, p<0.001, respectively). The other clinical characteristics were not significantly different, except for the triglyceride levels. CONCLUSION: The majority of patients with coronary spasm were males who were smokers and alcohol consumers. The female patients had lower rates of smoking and alcohol consumption, and they were younger than the male patients. Further studies are needed to investigate the relevance of gender differences in the pathogenesis of coronary spasm.

AI से पूछें

Bookmark

View Full Paper