What the study found
Non-pregnancy-associated spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) was associated with low but clinically significant in-hospital mortality. The study also found sex- and race-based differences in treatment and outcomes.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors conclude that the findings point to an urgent need for standardized management strategies and equitable cardiovascular care delivery. The study suggests that disparities in care persist in this condition.
What the researchers tested
The researchers conducted a retrospective cohort study using the 2022 National Inpatient Sample, a U.S. hospital database. They identified adult hospitalizations with a primary diagnosis of SCAD using ICD-10-CM codes, excluded pregnancy-related and other obstetric admissions, and used survey weights and multivariable logistic regression in STATA to assess predictors of in-hospital mortality and treatment use.
What worked and what didn't
Among 4,563 hospitalizations, the mean age was 52.4 years and 72.6% of patients were female. Women were less likely than men to undergo percutaneous coronary intervention, a procedure used to open a narrowed coronary artery, with rates of 28.4% versus 36.9%, even though cardiogenic shock rates were similar; Black patients had higher adjusted odds of mortality than White patients (adjusted odds ratio 1.42, 95% CI 1.08-1.86). Cardiogenic shock, chronic kidney disease, and increasing age were independent predictors of mortality, while percutaneous coronary intervention was not independently associated with reduced in-hospital mortality.
What to keep in mind
The analysis is based on hospitalized patients identified through administrative coding in one national database and applies to adults with non-obstetric SCAD in 2022. The abstract does not describe longer-term outcomes or limitations beyond the study design and scope.
Key points
- The study examined 4,563 U.S. hospitalizations for non-obstetric SCAD in 2022.
- Overall in-hospital mortality was 3.2% (146 deaths).
- Women underwent percutaneous coronary intervention less often than men (28.4% vs 36.9%).
- Black patients had higher adjusted odds of mortality than White patients (aOR 1.42, 95% CI 1.08-1.86).
- Cardiogenic shock, chronic kidney disease, and older age were independent predictors of mortality.
- Percutaneous coronary intervention was not independently linked to lower in-hospital mortality.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Non-pregnancy SCAD showed low but significant in-hospital mortality
- Authors:
- Teddy A Teddy, Edidiong Okon-Ben, Spencer Cadet, Abdelwahab Ahmed, Mustafa Marzoung, Allan Bowan
- Publication date:
- 2026-04-06
- OpenAlex record:
- View
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