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Gender Differences in Heart Failure: Findings from Italian Internal Medicine Wards

Received: 19 February 2015     Accepted: 5 March 2015     Published: 18 March 2015
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Abstract

Background and aim: Literature evidence shows that about one half of patients with heart failure (HF) are females. However, they are poorly represented in clinical trials. Therefore, this syndrome remains still understood and its burden underestimated in female sex. The aim of our study was to compare demography, etiology, clinical patterns, outcome, co-morbidity, disability and cognitive performance between females and males in a cohort of patients with HF. Materials and methods: We analyzed data of the Confine Study, a recently real world survey performed in Italian Internal Medicine wards. We compared clinical and instrumental characteristics between males and females. Results: Females with HF were significantly older than men. Hypertensive and valvular etiologies were significantly more prevalent in females whereas ischemic and dilatative were in males. Neither clinical aspects, with the exception of atrial fibrillation, nor echocardiographic aspects were more frequent in females. According to international guidelines on topic, both sexes received under-treatment, but this one was more evident in females. Females presented more frequently cognitive impairment and functional disability than males. Conclusion: Female sex is under-represented in clinical trials on HF. Our study may provide a contribute on this topic.

Published in American Journal of Internal Medicine (Volume 3, Issue 2)
DOI 10.11648/j.ajim.20150302.13
Page(s) 55-66
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2015. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Heart Failure, Gender, Therapy, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Epidemiology, Internal Medicine

References
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Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Paolo Biagi, Valerio Verdiani, Niccolo’ Napoli, Cristiana Seravalle, Luca Masotti, et al. (2015). Gender Differences in Heart Failure: Findings from Italian Internal Medicine Wards. American Journal of Internal Medicine, 3(2), 55-66. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajim.20150302.13

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    ACS Style

    Paolo Biagi; Valerio Verdiani; Niccolo’ Napoli; Cristiana Seravalle; Luca Masotti, et al. Gender Differences in Heart Failure: Findings from Italian Internal Medicine Wards. Am. J. Intern. Med. 2015, 3(2), 55-66. doi: 10.11648/j.ajim.20150302.13

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    AMA Style

    Paolo Biagi, Valerio Verdiani, Niccolo’ Napoli, Cristiana Seravalle, Luca Masotti, et al. Gender Differences in Heart Failure: Findings from Italian Internal Medicine Wards. Am J Intern Med. 2015;3(2):55-66. doi: 10.11648/j.ajim.20150302.13

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ajim.20150302.13,
      author = {Paolo Biagi and Valerio Verdiani and Niccolo’ Napoli and Cristiana Seravalle and Luca Masotti and Irene Chiti and Grazia Panigada},
      title = {Gender Differences in Heart Failure: Findings from Italian Internal Medicine Wards},
      journal = {American Journal of Internal Medicine},
      volume = {3},
      number = {2},
      pages = {55-66},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ajim.20150302.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajim.20150302.13},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajim.20150302.13},
      abstract = {Background and aim: Literature evidence shows that about one half of patients with heart failure (HF) are females. However, they are poorly represented in clinical trials. Therefore, this syndrome remains still understood and its burden underestimated in female sex. The aim of our study was to compare demography, etiology, clinical patterns, outcome, co-morbidity, disability and cognitive performance between females and males in a cohort of patients with HF. Materials and methods: We analyzed data of the Confine Study, a recently real world survey performed in Italian Internal Medicine wards. We compared clinical and instrumental characteristics between males and females. Results: Females with HF were significantly older than men. Hypertensive and valvular etiologies were significantly more prevalent in females whereas ischemic and dilatative were in males. Neither clinical aspects, with the exception of atrial fibrillation, nor echocardiographic aspects were more frequent in females. According to international guidelines on topic, both sexes received under-treatment, but this one was more evident in females. Females presented more frequently cognitive impairment and functional disability than males. Conclusion: Female sex is under-represented in clinical trials on HF. Our study may provide a contribute on this topic.},
     year = {2015}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Gender Differences in Heart Failure: Findings from Italian Internal Medicine Wards
    AU  - Paolo Biagi
    AU  - Valerio Verdiani
    AU  - Niccolo’ Napoli
    AU  - Cristiana Seravalle
    AU  - Luca Masotti
    AU  - Irene Chiti
    AU  - Grazia Panigada
    Y1  - 2015/03/18
    PY  - 2015
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajim.20150302.13
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ajim.20150302.13
    T2  - American Journal of Internal Medicine
    JF  - American Journal of Internal Medicine
    JO  - American Journal of Internal Medicine
    SP  - 55
    EP  - 66
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2330-4324
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajim.20150302.13
    AB  - Background and aim: Literature evidence shows that about one half of patients with heart failure (HF) are females. However, they are poorly represented in clinical trials. Therefore, this syndrome remains still understood and its burden underestimated in female sex. The aim of our study was to compare demography, etiology, clinical patterns, outcome, co-morbidity, disability and cognitive performance between females and males in a cohort of patients with HF. Materials and methods: We analyzed data of the Confine Study, a recently real world survey performed in Italian Internal Medicine wards. We compared clinical and instrumental characteristics between males and females. Results: Females with HF were significantly older than men. Hypertensive and valvular etiologies were significantly more prevalent in females whereas ischemic and dilatative were in males. Neither clinical aspects, with the exception of atrial fibrillation, nor echocardiographic aspects were more frequent in females. According to international guidelines on topic, both sexes received under-treatment, but this one was more evident in females. Females presented more frequently cognitive impairment and functional disability than males. Conclusion: Female sex is under-represented in clinical trials on HF. Our study may provide a contribute on this topic.
    VL  - 3
    IS  - 2
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Medicina Interna Ospedale di Montepulciano, Montepulciano (SI), Italy

  • Medicina Interna Ospedale della Misericordia, Grosseto, Italy

  • Scuola di Specializzazione Chirurgia Generale Universitaria di Pisa, Pisa, Italy

  • Medicina Interna Ospedale S Maria Nuova, Firenze, Italy

  • Medicina Interna Ospedale S Maria Nuova, Firenze, Italy

  • Medicina Interna Ospedale SS Cosma e Damiano di Pescia, Pescia (PT), Italy

  • Medicina Interna Ospedale SS Cosma e Damiano di Pescia, Pescia (PT), Italy

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