Differences in Demographics and Outcomes Between Men and Women With Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection.

BACKGROUND: Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is an increasingly recognized cause of myocardial infarction (MI) that most frequently affects women. The characteristics of men with SCAD are less well described. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to describe the characteristics of men with SCAD. METHODS: We compared baseline demographics, clinical presentation, angiographic findings and cardiovascular outcomes of men and women in the Canadian SCAD Study. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) were composite of death, MI, stroke or transient ischemic attack, heart failure hospitalization, and revascularization. RESULTS: Of 1,173 patients with SCAD, 123 (10.5%) were men. Men with SCAD were younger than women (mean age 49.4 ± 9.6 years vs 52.0 ± 10.6 years; P = 0.01). Men had lower rate of prior MI than women (0.8% vs 7.0%; P = 0.005). Men were less likely to have fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) (27.8% vs 52.7%; P = 0.001), depression (9.8% vs 20.2%; P = 0.005), emotional stress (35.0% vs 59.3%; P < 0.001), or high score on the Perceived Stress Scale (3.5% vs 11.0%; P = 0.025) but were more likely to report isometric physical stress (40.2% vs 24.0%; P = 0.007). There was no difference in angiographic types of SCAD, but men had more circumflex artery (44.4% vs 30.9%; P = 0.001) and fewer right coronary artery (11.8% vs 21.7%; P = 0.0054) dissections. At median follow-up of 3.0 (IQR: 2.0-3.8) years, men had fewer hospital presentations with chest pain (10.6% vs 24.8%; P < 0.001). There were no differences in in-hospital events or follow-up MACE (7.3% vs 12.7%; P = 0.106). CONCLUSIONS: Ten percent of SCAD patients were men. Men were younger and more likely to have a physical trigger but were less likely to have FMD, depression, or an emotional trigger. Men had less recurrent chest pain but no significant difference in MACE.

Differences in Revascularization Strategy and Outcomes by Clinical Presentations in Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection.

BACKGROUND: Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is an important cause of myocardial infarction (MI). However, the role of revascularization for SCAD according to presentation remains unclear. METHODS: We analyzed patients with SCAD who presented acutely and were participating in the Canadian SCAD Cohort Study. We compared revascularization strategy and clinical outcomes (in-hospital major adverse events and major adverse cardiovascular event [MACE] including recurrent MI at 1-year) in patients with SCAD presenting with ST-elevation MI (STEMI) vs unstable angina or non-STEMI (UA-NSTEMI). RESULTS: Among 750 patients with SCAD (mean 51.7 ± 10.5years; 88.5% were women; median follow-up was 373 days), 234 (31.2%) presented with STEMI. More patients with SCAD-STEMI (27.8%) were treated with revascularization (98.5% percutaneous coronary intervention [PCI]) compared with 8.7% of patients with UA-NSTEMI (93.3% PCI). For patients with SCAD and STEMI, 93.9% were planned procedures vs 71.1% for UA-NSTEMI. Successful or partially successful PCI was 65.5% for STEMI and 76.9% for UA-NSTEMI (P < 0.001). In revascularized patients, 1-year MACE was not different between STEMI and UA-NSTEMI. Revascularization was associated with higher in-hospital major adverse events and its association was more prominent in UA-NSTEMI (STEMI: 26.2% vs 10.7%, P < 0.001; UA-NSTEMI: 37.8% vs 3.6%, P < 0.001). The difference in adverse events according to revascularization diminished over time and was not evident at 1 year. CONCLUSIONS: Despite higher in-hospital events with revascularization in patients with SCAD, and higher revascularization with SCAD-STEMI, 1-year MACE was not different compared with UA-NSTEMI. This is reassuring, as revascularization may be required for ongoing ischemia at the time of initial presentation in STEMI-SCAD, and emphasizes the need for careful patient selection for revascularization in UA-NSTEMI.

Canadian Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection Cohort Study: 3-Year Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is an important cause of myocardial infarction (MI) in young to middle-aged women. OBJECTIVES: We aim to define the long-term natural history of SCAD. METHODS: We performed a multicenter, prospective, observational study of patients with nonatherosclerotic SCAD presenting acutely from 22 North American centers. We recorded baseline demographics, in-hospital characteristics, precipitating and predisposing conditions, angiographic features (adjudicated), in-hospital and 3-year major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). Cox regression multivariable analysis was performed. RESULTS: We prospectively enrolled 750 consecutive patients with SCAD from June 2014 to June 2018. Mean age was 51.7 ± 10.5 years, 88.5% were women (55.0% postmenopausal); 31.3% presented with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, and 68.3% with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Precipitating emotional stressor was reported in 50.3%, and physical stressor in 28.9%. Predisposing conditions included fibromuscular dysplasia in 42.9% (56.4% in those with complete screening), peripartum state 4.5%, and genetic disorders 1.6%. Most patients were treated conservatively (84.3%); 14.1% underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), 0.7% coronary artery bypass graft. At 3.0-year median follow-up, mortality was 0.8%, recurrent MI 9.9% (extension of previous SCAD 3.5%, de novo recurrent SCAD 2.4%, iatrogenic dissection 1.9%), with overall MACE 14.0%. Presence of genetic disorders, peripartum SCAD, and extracoronary fibromuscular dysplasia were independent predictors of 3-year MACE. Patients who underwent PCI at index hospitalization had similar postdischarge MACE compared with no PCI. At 3 years, 80.0% remained on aspirin and 73.5% on beta-blockade. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term mortality and de novo recurrent SCAD was low in our contemporary large SCAD cohort that included low revascularization rate and high use of beta-blockade and aspirin. Genetic disorders, extracoronary fibromuscular dysplasia, and peripartum SCAD were independent predictors of long-term MACE.