title: Significantly improved vascular complications among women undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: a report from the Northern New England Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Registry.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Women are at a higher risk for bleeding/vascular complications (VC) related to cardiovascular procedures. Although the overall incidence of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)-related bleeding/VC has declined, the impact of this decline, specifically in women, is unknown.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We studied 13 653 female and 32 334 male consecutive cases, from 2002 to 2007, in the Northern New England PCI Registry. We sought to (1) compare absolute rates of bleeding/VC in women and men over time, (2) define predictors of bleeding/VC in women and men undergoing PCI, and (3) trend the impact of female gender in predicting bleeding/VC over time. Bleeding/VC was defined as any access-site vessel injury requiring surgical intervention or bleeding requiring transfusion. The overall risk of bleeding/VC was significantly higher in women versus men (4.5+/-1.3% versus 1.6+/-0.5%; P<0.004). Over time, there was a significant (P<0.001) 50% decrease in absolute bleeding/VC rates in both women and men. After adjustment for baseline differences, female gender remained a significant predictor of increased risk in 2007 (odds ratio, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.74 to 3.91). Independent predictors of increased risk of bleeding/VC in women included older age, shock, renal failure, presentation with non-ST-elevation myocardial infraction and larger sheath sizes, whereas the use of fluoroscopy-guided access, closure devices, history of dyslipidemia or prior PCI, and use of bivalirudin were protective.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Women undergoing PCI have had a significant decline in bleeding/VC rates during the last 6 years. Despite the improvement in procedural safety, female gender continues to be associated with a >2-fold risk of bleeding/VC compared with men.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, Vt, USA.
authors.forename: Bina
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Winthrop D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Piper
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Malenka
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: VerLee
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Robb
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Herne
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.forename: Harold L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Dauerman
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications; D012042:Registries; D051437:Renal Insufficiency / Q000150:complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*