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Objectives To assess sex differences in clinical presentation, in-hospital and long-term outcome in ST-elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients undergoing primary PCI (PPCI). Background Several studies have shown higher rates of mortality in women. These differences are not always confirmed after adjusting for confounding variables. Methods From January 2007 to December 2011, 325 consecutive patients (23.1% females and 76.9% males) were prospectively treated and retrospectively analyzed. Primary outcome was in-hospital and long-term mortality. Results Women were older (71.8 ± 11.7 vs. 62.5 ± 12.6 years; p < 0.0001), presented more renal failure (45.3% vs. 20.8%; p < 0.0001) and severe haemodynamic impairment (9.3% vs. 3.6%; p = 0.04). In-hospital overall mortality (14.7% vs. 4.8%; p = 0.003) and cardiac death (12% vs. 2%; p = 0.002) were significantly higher in women. The multivariate analysis identified age (OR 1.07; 95% CI: 1.01–1.13), resuscitated cardiac arrest (CCA) and cardiogenic shock (CS) (OR 15.31; 95% CI: 4.30–61.75), renal failure (OR 0.20; 95% CI: 0.06–0.68), but not sex (OR 1.49; 95% CI: 0.53–4.22) as independent prognostic factors of in-hospital mortality. During a median follow-up of 46.5 months (IQR range 32.7–63.1 months), long-term overall mortality (24.2% vs. 11.0%; p = 0.007) and cardiac death (4.8% vs. 1.7%; p = 0.02) were significantly higher in women. The multivariate analysis identified age (HR 1.06; 95% CI: 1.02–1.11), previous AMI (HR 3.9; 95% CI: 1.63–9.35), renal failure (HR 5.21; 95% CI: 2.12–12.85), technical success (HR 0.35; 95% CI: 0.14–0.84) but not sex (HR 0.90; 95% CI: 0.42–1.94) as independent prognostic factors of long-term mortality. Conclusions Worse clinical presentation rather than sex may explain the excess of mortality in women with STEMI undergoing PPCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Our study is aimed at evaluating the feasibility and reliability of a simple method for the measurement of the functional area of prosthetic aortic valves (EOA). Three-dimensional echocardiography has proven accurate for left ventricular volume, stroke volume, and aortic valve area measurement. We studied the feasibility and reliability of real time simultaneous triplane echocardiography (RT3P) for assessing the EOA with a fast formula based on the principle of continuity equation, in which we replaced Doppler-derived stroke volume (SV) with SV directly measured with RT3P. Methods and results: EOA of prosthetic aortic valves were measured in 23 consecutive patients requiring periodical follow up. EOA was calculated using Doppler continuity equation (DCE) and the RT3P method by replacing Doppler-derived SV with SV measured with real time triplane echocardiography. We compared functional areas obtained with the two methods with the prosthetic area indicated in the manufacturer's specifications and with the mean transprosthetic gradient. Both methods had a good correlation with the area indicated by the manufacturer. RT3P revealed an inverse correlation between functional area and mean gradient that was better than DCE (P = 0.0359). Inter- and intraobserver variability was not different between the two methods. Execution time was significantly shorter for RT3P. Conclusions: RT3P is a simple method that can be performed quite rapidly, and can complement the overall assessment of prosthetic valve function. Further studies can confirm our technique. (Echocardiography 2012;29:34-41) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]