Gender difference in arrhythmic occurrences in patients with nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy and implantable cardioverter-defibrillator.

Previous studies indicated that women were less likely to experience ventricular arrhythmia recurrence than men among patients with coronary artery disease and implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). However, it is not clear whether the risk for ventricular tachyarrhythmia is gender-dependent in patients with nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy. This study included 173 consecutive nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy patients with a left ventricular ejection fraction of <45% (122 men and 51 women), who received ICD therapy between 1990 and 2008. The average follow-up period was 33 +/- 28 months. There was no significant difference in event-free rates of appropriate ICD therapy between genders for all patients (P = 0.15) and by indication of ICD (primary prevention: P = 0.43, secondary prevention: P = 0.24). There was also no significant difference in event-free rates of electrical storm between genders (P = 0.17). In high-risk patients with nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy who received ICD, there was no gender difference in the incidence of appropriate ICD therapy or electrical storm.