In-hospital outcomes and long-term mortality according to sex and management strategy in acute myocardial infarction. Insights from the French ST-elevation and non-ST-elevation Myocardial Infarction (FAST-MI) 2005 Registry

- We investigated 5-year mortality in acute myocardial infarction patients.
- Patients were categorized according to sex and use of invasive strategy.
- We used data from a nationwide French registry including 3670 patients (FAST-MI).
- Invasive strategy remains less frequently used in women than in men.
- Invasive strategy is associated with improved five-year survival irrespective of sex.

BackgroundThe early mortality of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has dramatically decreased in the recent past. Whether the previously reported sex disparities in use of invasive strategies (IS) persist and translate into differences in outcomes deserves to be examined.MethodsWe used the data from a nationwide French prospective multicentre registry from 3,670 AMI patients (1155 women (31.5%), 2515 men (68.5%)) recruited in 223 centres in 2005 and followed-up for 5 years. We examined in-hospital outcomes and 5-year mortality in patients categorized according to sex and use of IS (i.e. coronary angiography during the hospitalisation with a view to revascularisation).ResultsIS was less frequently used in women than in men (adjusted OR = 0.66; 95% CI: 0.52-0.85), regardless of the type of AMI, age group or risk category, while use of recommended medications was similar at 48 hours and discharge. In-hospital mortality did not differ according to sex, whatever the age group and use of an IS. At 5 years, overall and post-discharge mortality were similar in men and women. However, IS was associated with lower 5-year mortality in women (HR = 0.66; 95% CI: 0.51-0.86) as in men (HR = 0.48; 95% CI: 0.38-0.60) and there was no sex-strategy interaction.ConclusionsInvasive strategy remains less frequently used in women than in men, yet is associated with improved five-year survival irrespective of sex. Whether reducing the sex gap in its use would translate into a higher survival in women remains an open question.Clinical trial registrationNCT 00673036