Sex differences in incidence, management, and outcomes in adult patients aged over 20 years with clinically diagnosed myocarditis in the last ten years: data from the MYO-PL nationwide database

Pol Arch Intern Med. 2022 Jan 27. doi: 10.20452/pamw.16199. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Comprehensive epidemiological data about the course of myocarditis and sex differences are lacking.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the current differences in the incidence, clinical characteristics, management and outcomes of the males and females with a clinical diagnosis of myocarditis in Poland in the last ten years. Patients and methods: The nationwide MYO-PL (the occurrence, trends, management, and outcomes of patients with myocarditis in Poland) database identified hospitalization records with a primary diagnosis of myocarditis following the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision (ICD-10), derived from the database of the national healthcare insurer. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04827706.

RESULTS: A total of 16,319 patients (4,208 (25.8%) women and 12,111 (74.2%) men) aged over 20 years with a hospital-based clinical diagnosis of myocarditis were included in the study. The females were older than the males (median age 54 (36-70) and 35 (28-47) years, respectively). The incidence of myocarditis was age-, sex- and season-dependent. The incidence rate of myocarditis increased over time only in the males. Although the females were more symptomatic and demonstrated more comorbidities than the males, they were less likely to be admitted to a cardiology ward or undergo diagnostic tests. Regardless of age and sex, patients with myocarditis had a poorer prognosis than the general population. The females aged 21-40 years had a poorer prognosis than the males.

CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of myocarditis was age-, sex- and season-dependent. Significant improvement is required in the management of myocarditis, including the initial diagnostic process, as well as short- and long-term therapy, particularly in women.

PMID:35084153 | DOI:10.20452/pamw.16199