Gender differences in onset of symptoms in AV nodal re-entrant and accessory pathway-mediated re-entrant tachycardia.
OBJECTIVE
Is onset of symptoms in AV nodal re-entrant tachycardia (AVNRT) and accessory pathway-mediated re-entrant tachycardia (AVRT) patients gender-specific?


METHODS
Intra- and inter-gender differences in onset of symptoms and mechanism of supraventricular tachycardia in adult patients undergoing catheter ablation for AVNRT or AVRT (N=230) were documented.


RESULTS
Women with AVNRT were significantly younger at onset of symptoms compared to men (38+/-18, 51+/-18 years, p=0.01). Male AVNRT patients were significantly older at onset of symptoms compared to male AVRT patients (51+/-18, 25+/-11 years, p=0.04) but there was no difference in women. Symptoms beginning <30 years in men predicted AVRT in 73%, and beginning >or=30 years the predominant mechanism was AVNRT (85%). In women AVNRT was the most likely mechanism independent of symptom onset (>75%).


CONCLUSIONS
Symptoms beginning in patients with AVNRT and AVRT prior to age 30 correlates with a 70% incidence of AVRT in men and a 80% incidence of AVNRT in women. Onset of palpitations >or= age 30 relates to AVNRT in 85% of patients.
BG University Hospital Bergmannsheil, University Heart Center Bochum, Bürkle-de-la-Camp-Platz 2, 44789, Bochum, Deutschland. thomas.deneke@rub.de
T
T
Deneke
P
P
Müller
T
T
Lawo
B
B
Lemke
M
M
Horlitz
B
B
Calcum
L-I
LI
Bösche
A
A
Mügge
P H
PH
Grewe
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013611:Tachycardia, Atrioventricular Nodal Reentry / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*