Abstract
Background: Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is an increasingly recognized cause of acute coronary syndrome, mostly in women; however, differences between the sexes should be investigated. Materials & methods: Hundred consecutive patients affected by SCAD were identified; coronary lesions were classified according to the most recent classification and clinical and angiographic data of men and women were compared. Results: Men were significantly younger than women, with more cardiovascular risk factors. Lesions were prevalently classified as type 2A, type 2B or type 1; an angiographic pattern compatible with the presence of an intimal tear (types 1 and 1/2) was more represented in males. Conclusion: Sex-related differences in clinical and angiographic characteristics could help in shedding light on mechanisms that contribute to SCAD.
Lay abstract
Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is a cause of heart attack, mostly in women. This study investigates differences in SCAD between men and women. Hundred patients affected by SCAD were identified and medical data of men and women were compared. In this study, men were significantly younger than women, with more cardiovascular risk factors. Moreover, angiographic appearance was different between men and women: in men the inner surface of coronary arteries often seemed to be torn. So, sex-related differences in certain cardiological characteristics could help in shedding light on mechanisms that contribute to SCAD.
Financial & competing interests disclosure
The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.
No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.
Ethical conduct of research
The authors state that they have obtained appropriate institutional review board approval or have followed the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki for all human or animal experimental investigations. In addition, for investigations involving human subjects, informed consent has been obtained from the participants involved.