There is growing evidence of sex-related differences in the epidemiology and pathophysiology of cardiovascular diseases. This is the first systematic review and meta-analysis that aimed to highlight the sex-specific differences in the clinical features and outcomes of acute myocarditis. Electronic searches were performed on Scopus, Embase, and PubMed from inception up to June 2023 to identify studies comparing the clinical features and outcomes of acute myocarditis in males and females. Both qualitative and quantitative summaries were conducted. In this systematic review and meta-analysis of 11 studies involving 34,791 patients presenting with acute myocarditis. Male patients, who comprised 69.8% of the entire pooled population, presented at a markedly younger age (mean difference: -8.99 years; 95% CI: -13.60, -4.38; p=0.0001). They also had significantly lower rates of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and coronary artery disease compared to female patients (p<0.01). Male patients were more likely to present with ST elevation (RR: 2.57 [1.38, 4.79]; p=0.003) and higher C-reactive protein levels (RR: 3.04 [2.75, 3.34]; p<0.00001) compared to female patients. This review underscores the crucial sex-specific evaluation in acute myocarditis, necessitating tailored approaches in assessment and diagnostic evaluation, and emphasizing the need for additional research in this domain.
Keywords: acute myocarditis; gender; meta-analysis; myocarditis; outcomes; pathophysiology; sex-related differences; systematic review.
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