Sex differences in patients with atrial fibrillation and acute coronary syndrome or undergoing PCI: a real-world study

BackgroundIn patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) or undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), female patients have a worse short-term prognosis than male patients has been consistently concluded in many studies. However, the impact of sex differences on long-term prognosis remains uncertain. Additionally, women are underrepresented in clinical trials exploring optimal antithrombotic strategies in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and ACS or PCI. To bridge this gap, this study aimed to investigate sex differences in clinical characteristics, treatment, and long-term clinical outcomes in patients with AF and ACS or PCI.Patients and methodsThis study included a total of 1237 patients with AF and ACS and 539 patients with AF and stable coronary artery disease (SCAD) who underwent PCI at the Fuwai Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from January 2017 to December 2019. Patients were followed up until the end of 2021 to observe the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). The relationship between sex and MACE was evaluated using Cox regression models and Kaplan-Meier's survival curves.ResultsIn patients with AF and ACS, multivariable COX regression analysis revealed that female patients were independently associated with a higher risk of MACE (HR = 1.45, 95% CI 1.11-1.89, p = .006). However, in AF patients with SCAD who underwent PCI, the analysis showed that female patients were not independently associated with MACE risk (HR = 1.12, 95% CI 0.62-2.03, p = .717).ConclusionsIn patients with AF and ACS, females have a significantly higher risk of long-term MACE compared to males. However, among patients with AF and SCAD who underwent PCI, there was no significant difference in long-term MACE risk between males and females.