Ventricular fibrillation complicating acute myocardial infarction in women

Very little data is available in women presenting with ventricular fibrillation in the setting of acute myocardial infarction.

To investigate sex-discrepancies in the incidence, characteristics and outcomes of acute myocardial infarction complicated by ventricular fibrillation.

Data were analyzed from the FAST-MI registry, which prospectively included 14,406 patients with acute myocardial infarction (mean age 66±14 years, 72% male, mean left ventricular ejection fraction 52±12%, 59% with ST elevation myocardial infarction). All consecutive patients admitted to French cardiac intensive care units ≤48 hours from acute myocardial infarction onset during a 1-month period every five years during 1995 and 2015 were included. This analysis focused on ventricular fibrillation occurring during the initial in-hospital stay for acute myocardial infarction in women compared to men.

A total of 359 patients developed ventricular fibrillation during acute myocardial infarction, including 81 women (2.0% of 4,091 women overall) and 278 men (2.7% of 10,315) (p=0.02). ST-elevation myocardial infarction (OR 2.29, 95% CI 1.75–2.99, p<0.001) was independently associated with occurrence of ventricular fibrillation, while female gender (OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.56–0.95, p=0.02), hypertension (OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.60–0.94, p=0.01) and prior MI (OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.50–0.96, p=0.03) were protective factors. Women were less likely to have percutaneous coronary intervention during hospitalization than men (48.1% vs. 69.1%, OR 0.48, 95% CI 0.29–0.80, p<0.001). One-year mortality was higher in women compared to men (23.1% vs. 7.0%, HR 5.5, 95% CI 1.7–17.2, p=0.001). However, after adjustment for age, type of myocardial infarction and percutaneous coronary intervention, female gender was no longer associated with a worse one-year mortality (adjusted HR 1.04, 95% CI 0.71–1.51, p=0.85).

Women have lower risk of developing ventricular fibrillation during acute myocardial infarction compared to men. However, they are less likely to receive early coronary interventions than men, possibly contributing to worse outcomes.

Type of funding sources: Public Institution(s). Main funding source(s): French Society of Cardiology