Sex-related inequalities in management of patients with acute coronary syndrome-results from the EURHOBOP study

Abstract

Background: Real‐world data from different levels of hospital specialisation would help to understand if differences in management between women and men with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) are still a priority target. We aimed to identify sex inequalities in management of patients with different types of ACS. Methods: We analysed 1757 patients with a non‐ST‐elevation ACS (NSTEACS) and 1184 with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) or left bundle branch block (non‐classifiable (NC) ACS (STEMI/NC ACS group), consecutively discharged from ten Portuguese hospitals with different specialisation levels, between 2008 and 2010. We estimated odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for the association between sex and the performance of coronary angiography, reperfusion and revascularisation. Results: Among STEMI/NC ACS, men had higher probability of performing coronary angiography than women (adjusted OR = 1.64, 95% CI: 1.11‐2.44), while among NSTEACS patients there was no significant difference by sex (adjusted OR = 1.26, 95% CI: 0.99‐1.62). In patients who underwent coronary angiography, there was no difference in proportion of women and men submitted to revascularisation, regardless of the ACS type. Although men with STEMI/NC ACS were more likely to undergo reperfusion (crude OR = 2.17, 95% CI: 1.68‐2.81), the effect became not significant after multivariable adjustment (adjusted OR = 1.33, 95% CI: 0.96‐1.84). Conclusion: Women diagnosed with STEMI/NC, but not NSTEACS, had lower probability when compared with men to be submitted to coronary angiography. There was no difference in performance of reperfusion and revascularisation by sex.