Impact of Female Gender on Acute and Mid-Term Mortality in Patients with St-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction during the Pandemic Era

ABSTRACT

Background: There is still much controversy concerning the impact of gender on mortality during ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The COVID-19 pandemic deeply affected the clinical history of these patients, both in terms of presentation time and management. The aim of our study was to evaluate the impact of female gender on acute and mid-term mortality in STEMI patients hospitalized during the pandemic period. Material(s) and Method(s) Our study focuses on STEMI patients hospitalized during the darkest period of the pandemic.We retrospectively analyzed consecutive STEMI patients hospitalized from 15 March 2020 to 15 March 2021 in our Hub centre in Milan, Lombardy. All clinical, demographic, and procedural characteristics were collected in a dedicated database. Patient follow-up was carried out through clinical visits, telephone calls and remote monitoring through the "Lombardia Regional Registry". Result(s) From a total of 283 patients, women represented 26.8% of the population, with a mean age of 72 - 11.2 years vs. 64.7 - 12.6 years in men. Anterior STEMI was the most represented with a mildly reduced ejection fraction (EF 48.3 - 11.8%) similar between genders. Coronary angiography showed more extensive disease in man, while women presented with a higher Killip class at admission and a more pronounced anemic status. In-hospital and 1-year mortality of the whole cohort were 11.4% and 7.5%, respectively, with no significant differences between genders (14.5% women vs. 10.6% men, p = ns;9.2% women vs. 7% man, p = ns). EF resulted in being the only independent predictor of mortality in the short-term and at 1-year follow up in both genders. In the acute phase, the only other independent predictor of mortality was COVID-19 infection, secondary to the higher rate of respiratory omplications, without any difference in terms of major adverse cardiac events. The impact of COVID-19 infection on mortality was completely lost at 1-year follow up. Conclusion(s) Our study has shown that female gender in STEMI patients does not represent an independent predictor of mortality both in the short- and in the midterm follow up. Concomitant COVID-19 infection significantly influenced in-hospital mortality due to the higher rate of respiratory complications in both genders. The impact of COVID-19 on mortality was completely lost at follow-up, where age and a reduced EF remained the only independent predictors, regardless of gender.