title: Association of age and gender with risk for non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Age and gender associated risks for non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) at the population level are largely uncharacterized.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nationwide, population (26,724,165 person-years) based eight-year registry-study in Finland.
  
  
  METHODS
  Gender- and age-associated frequency and incidence of NSTEMI were studied using a nationwide, population based registry of hospital admissions in patients aged ≥30 years during 2001-2008. Patients with NSTEMI as primary (88%), secondary (10%) or tertiary (2%) discharge diagnosis were included. Data was collected nationwide from all 22 hospitals with a coronary angiolaboratory.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study period included 48,584 NSTEMI admissions of which 55.3% (95% confidence interval (CI) 54.6-56.0%) were of men and 44.7% (CI 44.1-45.3%) were of women, with age-adjusted relative risk of 1.86 (CI 1.60-2.16, p < 0.0001) for male gender. Female patients were significantly older than males (77.8 SD 10.2 vs. 70.2 SD 11.9 years, p < 0.0001). Standardized incidence rate of NSTEMI was 20.6 (CI 20.4-20.8)/10,000 person-years overall, 28.7 (CI 28.3-29.0)/10,000 in men and 15.0 (CI 14.7-15.2)/10,000 in women. Men had a 2.36-fold (CI 2.23-2.49; p < 0.0001) age-adjusted relative risk for NSTEMI compared with women, with highest risk difference in population under 40 years of age (relative risk 4.48; CI 3.10-6.48, p < 0.0001). Incidence increased with age by an estimated gender-adjusted increase rate of 61% (CI 59-62%; p < 0.0001) per five-year increase in age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Men have a 2.4-fold overall risk for NSTEMI compared with women, with highest relative risk in young adults. Incidence rate of non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction increases by an estimated 61% per five-year increase in age.
authors.affiliation: Heart Centre, Turku University Hospital, Finland PET Centre, University of Turku, Finland ville.kyto@utu.fi.
authors.forename: Ville
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kytö
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Neurosciences, Department of Neurology, Turku University Hospital, Finland Department of Neurology, University of Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: Jussi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sipilä
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Centre, Turku University Hospital, Finland Public Health, University of Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: Päivi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rautava
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010343:Patient Admission; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012737:Sex Factors; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Myocardial infarction; age distribution; coronary artery disease; incidence; occurrence; sex distribution