Young female acute myocardial infarction patients have worse all-cause mortality compared to males: insights from a national myocardial infarction registry

Abstract Introduction Existing studies have examined the differences in presentation and outcomes between male and female patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, the translatability of these findings to young AMI patients is uncertain. In this study, we aimed to investigate sex differences in young AMI patients. Methods Retrospective data for all patients ≤50 years of age with a first-time AMI occurring between 2007 and 2020 were analysed from a national myocardial infarction registry. We examined the outcomes of overall survival and cardiovascular-related survival. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to assess the association of survival with various covariates. Effect estimates were summarized using hazard ratios (HRs) and 95%-confidence intervals (95%CI). Results A total of 12435 patients was analyzed, of which 1699 (13.7%) were female. Onset age of first-time AMI was not significantly different between males (46.0 interquartile range (42.0, 48.0)) and females (46.0 interquartile range (42.0, 48.0)). Compared to males, more females had atypical symptoms (26% vs 22%, p<0.001), hypertension (54% vs 43%, p<0.001), diabetes mellitus (47% vs 32%, p<0.001). Fewer females had hyperlipidemia (53% vs 62%, p<0.001). The median follow-up time was 7.71 years (IQR (4.34, 11.22)). When adjusted for race, age of onset, heart failure status at admission, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, previous percutaneous coronary intervention and chest pain at presentation, females had significantly higher all-cause mortality (adjusted HR: 1.30 (95%CI: 1.18, 1.45)) (Figure 1). Conclusion In conclusion, females who had first-time AMI under 50 years old were more likely to present atypically and have worse all-cause mortality.Figure 1