title: No gender survival difference in a population of patients with chronic heart failure related to left ventricular systolic dysfunction and receiving optimal medical therapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Controversial results have been published concerning a possible gender survival difference in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF).
  
  
  METHODS
  We analysed data from consecutive patients with stable CHF admitted to our department for prognostic evaluation. Patients underwent coronary angiography, echo-cardiography, radionuclide angiography and a cardiopulmonary exercise test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We included 613 consecutive patients of whom 115 (19%) were women. The major difference in clinical characteristics was a higher proportion of ischaemic cardiomyopathy in men compared to women (51% vs 28%, p<0.0001) and a lower left ventricular ejection fraction (35+/-9 vs 38+/-9%, p=0.001). Therapeutic management was similar in men and women. A total of 140 cardiovascular-related deaths and 4 urgent transplantations occurred during a median follow-up of 1.234 days. There was no gender difference in cardiac survival. Cardiovascular mortality rates at 2 years were 11% in men and 13% in women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite a lower percentage of ischaemic cardiopathy in women, no gender survival benefit was found in our population of CHF patients receiving optimal medical therapy.
authors.affiliation: Pôle de cardiologie et maladies vasculaires, Hôpital Cardiologique, Centre hospitalier universitaire, Lille. pdegroote@chru-lille.fr
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: de Groote
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lamblin
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mouquet
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bauters
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002227:Carbazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality; D000077261:Carvedilol; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D054143:Heart Failure, Systolic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality*; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality; D011412:Propanolamines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012737:Sex Factors; D013318:Stroke Volume; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D002227:Carbazoles; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D011412:Propanolamines; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D000077261:Carvedilol