Gender differences of electrophysiologic characteristics in patients with accessory atrioventricular pathways.

Background: Few epidemiologic data on the gender differences among patients with accessory atrioventricular pathways have been reported. Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the explicit gender differences in electrophysiologic characteristics among patients with accessory atrioventricular pathways. Methods: A total of 1,821 consecutive patients with accessory atrioventricular pathways were referred to our institution for electrophysiologic study and radiofrequency catheter ablation. A detailed electrophysiologic study was performed in all patients. Results: Patient age at onset of atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia was 43 ± 17 years. There were 1,117 males (61.3%) with accessory atrioventricular pathways. Men had more manifest and left-sided but fewer multiple accessory pathways. Men had more antidromic atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia. Men had a shorter anterograde accessory pathway effective refractory period (ERP) and a higher prevalence of an anterograde accessory pathway ERP (<250 ms). Men with accessory atrioventricular pathways had a longer atrioventricular nodal ERP and atrial ERP and a shorter ventricular ERP. Conclusion: Gender differences in the clinical and electrophysiologic characteristics of patients with accessory atrioventricular pathways could be closely linked and may imply a different pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]