Sex differences in natural history of cardiovascular magnetic resonance- and biopsy-proven lymphocytic myocarditis

Abstract

Aims: The role of sex in determining the profile and the outcomes of patients with myocarditis is largely unexplored. We evaluated the impact of sex as a modifier factor in the clinical characterization and natural history of patients with definite diagnosis of myocarditis. Methods and results: We retrospectively analysed a single-centre cohort of consecutive patients with definite diagnosis of myocarditis (i.e. endomyocardial biopsy or cardiac magnetic resonance proven). Specific sub-analyses were performed in cohorts of patients with chest pain, ventricular arrhythmias, and heart failure as different main symptoms at presentation. The primary outcome measure was a composite of all-cause mortality or heart transplantation (HTx). We included 312 patients, of which 211, 68% of the whole population, were males. Despite no clinically relevant differences found at baseline presentation, males had a higher indexed left ventricular end-diastolic volume (62 ± 23 mL/m2 vs. 52 ± 20 mL/m2, P = 0.011 in males vs. females, respectively) at follow-up evaluation. At a median follow-up of 72 months, 36 (17%) males vs. 8 (8%) females experienced death or HTx (P = 0.033). Male sex emerged as predictors of all-cause mortality or HTx in every combination of covariates (HR 2.600; 1.163–5.809; P = 0.020). Results were agreeable regardless of the main symptom of presentation. Conclusions: In a large cohort of patients with definite diagnosis of myocarditis, females experienced a more favourable long-term prognosis than males, despite a similar clinical profile at presentation.