Gender-related differences in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction

Sci Rep. 2018 Jan 18;8(1):1080. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-19507-7.

Abstract

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) affects more women than men, suggesting gender to play a major role in disease evolution. However, studies investigating gender differences in HFpEF are limited. In the present study we aimed to describe gender differences in a well-characterized HFpEF cohort. Consecutive HFpEF patients underwent invasive hemodynamic assessment, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and exercise testing. Study endpoints were: cardiac death, a combined endpoint of HF hospitalization or cardiac death and all-cause death. 260 HFpEF patients were prospectively enrolled. Men were more compromised with regard to exercise capacity and had significantly more co-morbidities. Men had more pronounced pulmonary vascular disease with higher diastolic pressure gradients and a lower right ventricular EF. During follow-up, 9.2% experienced cardiac death, 33.5% the combined endpoint and 17.3% all-cause death. Male gender was independently associated with cardiac death, but neither with the combined endpoint nor with all-cause mortality. We detected clear gender differences in HFpEF patients. Cardiac death was more common among men, but not all-cause death. While men are more prone to develop a right heart phenotype and die from HFpEF, women are more likely to die with HFpEF.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Comorbidity
  • Echocardiography
  • Female
  • Heart Failure / diagnosis
  • Heart Failure / mortality
  • Heart Failure / physiopathology*
  • Heart Function Tests
  • Humans
  • Kaplan-Meier Estimate
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Patient Outcome Assessment
  • Proportional Hazards Models
  • Prospective Studies
  • Sex Factors
  • Stroke Volume*