Mortality, risk indicators of death, mode of death and symptoms of angina pectoris during 5 years after coronary artery bypass grafting in men and women

AIM: To describe mortality, risk indicators of death, mode of death and symptoms of angina pectoris during 5 years after coronary artery bypass grafting in women and men. SAMPLE: All patients in western Sweden who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting without concomitant valve surgery and without previously performed coronary artery bypass grafting between June 1988 and June 1991. RESULTS: In all, 2000 patients participated in the evaluation, 381 (19%) of whom were women. Compared to men, who had a 5-year mortality of 13.3%, women had a relative risk of death of 1.4 (95% CI 1.0-1.8; P = 0.03). Renal dysfunction interacted significantly (P = 0.048) with gender, in that the differences were more marked in patients without renal dysfunction. When adjusting for differences at baseline, the relative risk of death amongst women was 1.0 (95% CL 0.7-1.3). Compared to men, women had an increased risk of in-hospital death and death associated with stroke. However, amongst the patients who died, the place and mode of death appeared to be similar in women and men. Amongst survivors after 5 years, women had more symptoms of angina pectoris than men. CONCLUSION: During 5 years after coronary artery bypass grafting, women had an increased mortality compared to men; renal dysfunction seemed to interact with female gender regarding mortality. Women had a higher risk of in-hospital death and death associated with stroke. However, the adjusted relative risk of death during 5 years was equal in women and men. Amongst survivors, women suffered more from angina pectoris than men.     

One-hundred aortic valve replacements in octogenarians: outcomes and risk factors for early mortality

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY: Today, ageing of the western population is causing aortic valve surgery to be performed in elderly patients with increasing frequency. The study aim was to evaluate surgical outcome in octogenarian patients undergoing aortic valve replacement (AVR). METHODS: A total of 100 patients (mean age 82.1 +/- 2.7 years; range: 80-95 years) who underwent AVR over a three-year period was reviewed. Concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting was performed in 34% of cases, and a bioprosthesis was implanted in 80%. The mean logistic EuroSCORE was 13.3%. RESULTS: Operative mortality was 8.0%. In multivariate analysis, a logistic EuroSCORE > or =13.5% (p = 0.02), cross-clamp time > or =75 min (p = 0.02) and postoperative acute renal failure were predictors for in-hospital mortality. Follow up was 100% complete; the mean follow up period was 10.6 months. At one year after surgery, the actuarial survival rate of those patients who survived surgery was 86.1%. Postoperative dyspnea at one month (p = 0.004) was the only predictor of short-term mortality. CONCLUSION: Age in itself should not contraindicate surgery, and healthcare systems should be prepared to accommodate elderly patients who may require special resources.     

老年患者行停跳或非停跳冠状动脉旁路移植术后早期及远期结果

目的观察常规冠状动脉旁路移植术(CCABG)及非停跳冠状动脉旁路移植术(OPCAB)对于老年患者(年龄>65岁)术后早期及远期的发病率及死亡率的影响。方法收集自1999年1月至2003年12月共1191例年龄>65岁的冠状动脉旁路移植术(CABG)患者资料,其中行CCABG744例,行OPCAB 447例。早期结果观察项目包括院内死亡率及术后发病率,远期结果观察项目包括总死亡率,再血管化,Q波心肌梗死,卒中,再次入院及复合终点事件,并利用Cox回归分析进行评估。结果对于早期结果的单变量分析显示,OPCAB有着明显优越性,在根据患者基线特征进行调整后,OPCAB仍然具有优越性。Kaplan-Meier生存分析表明OPCAB术后患者主要不良心脑血管事件(MACCEs)及再次入院发生率更高(P<0.001),而在总死亡率(P=0.193)及再血管化比例(P=0.067)方面较CCABG没有明显增高。对于术后远期结果的Cox回归分析显示,行OPCAB患者卒中发生率更高[风险比(RR):2.611,95%可信区间(GI):2.152～3.070],再次入院率更高(RR:2.000,95%CI:1.747～2.253),MACCEs发生率更高(RR:1.764,95%CI:1.456～2.072)。结论与CCABG比较,OPCAB可使老年患者在术后早期受益,但这些早期获益并不能延续到术后远期,其远期结果可能因血运重建不充分而较CCABG差。     

高龄无保护左主干病变不宜行冠状动脉搭桥患者介入治疗效果评价

目的:冠状动脉旁路移植术(CABG)一直是左主干病变的首选治疗,关于高龄左主干病变但不宜行CABG治疗的患者临床研究较少。本研究针对这一特殊人群进行经皮冠状动脉介入术(PCI)治疗后的临床情况进行随访。方法:入选年龄≥75岁不宜行CABG治疗的无保护左主干病变患者,随访患者的临床终点事件,死亡、心源性死亡、心肌梗死及靶血管重建。结果:研究共入选115例高龄左主干病变患者。平均年龄(78.3±2.6)岁,平均Syntax评分和Euroscore评分为(29.3±6.1)和(7.8±4.2),随访总病死率是9.5%,心源性死亡、心肌梗死及靶血管重建率分别为7%,6.1%及6.1%,MACCE事件发生率为16.5%。男性和慢性肾功能不全与全因死亡显著相关。结论:PCI治疗为高龄不宜行CABG治疗的左主干患者提供了α-选择。男性和慢性肾功能不全与全因死亡显著相关。     

Effect of female gender on the outcome of coronary artery bypass surgery for left main coronary artery disease.

OBJECTIVE: Early mortality after coronary artery bypass grafting is generally higher in women than in men. This study analyzes the effect of female gender on early mortality of coronary artery bypass grafting particularly for left main coronary artery disease. METHODS: Study population consisted of 144 consecutive patients (33 women, 111 men) undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting for left main coronary artery disease. Mean follow-up was 25.1 +/- 14.0 months. Data were collected retrospectively and presented as mean +/- standard deviation. Survival analysis was done using Kaplan-Meier actuarial curve method with the log rank univariate test, followed by Cox's proportional rate multivariate model. RESULTS: Overall mortality was 7% in the patient population. Cox regression analysis revealed that the independent predictors of increased total mortality were female gender (HR 8.34, 95% CI 1.79 - 38.76, p=0.007), advanced age (HR 1.12, 95% CI 1.02-1.23, p=0.014), degree of left main coronary artery stenosis (HR 1.068, 95%CI 1.005-1.135, p=0.03), and left ventricular ejection fraction (HR 0.93, 95% CI 0.87-0.99, p=0.03). Female gender was found to be the only independent predictor of increased early mortality (HR 13.18, 95%CI 1.444-120.343, p=0.02). After discharge from the hospital, female gender was no more a predictor of increased mortality. CONCLUSION: According to these data, we may assume that female gender is related with increased mortality in coronary artery surgery for left main disease in the pre-discharge period however after discharge from hospital, long-term benefit of female survivors of coronary artery bypass grafting operated on for left main coronary artery disease might be as good as in men.     

Short and long term results of coronary angioplasty in patients over 75 years

Aims: This report reviews the outcome of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) on patients aged 75 years or over at this institution, in order to provide statistics that may be useful in managing elderly patients. Methods: All elderly patients undergoing PTCA between January 1984 and December 1990 were included. Data concerning the PTCA procedure and short term (hospital stay) outcome were compared to those of all patients less than 75 years who underwent PTCA during the same period. Long term outcome was obtained for all surviving elderly patients. Results: One hundred and eleven procedures were performed on patients over 75 years, compared to 3183 procedures on patients under 75. The incidence of PTCA in the elderly increased to 6.7% of all procedures in 1990. Elderly patients were more symptomatic (97% vs 79% in patients under 75 years had Canadian Cardiovascular Society grade 3 or 4 angina), more frequently had the procedure performed urgently (39% vs 14%) and often (67%) had risk factors for PTCA (3 vessel disease, significant left ventricular dysfunction, or a complicating medical illness). Primary success rates (86%vs 90% in patients under 75 years), urgent coronary artery bypass grafting (1.8%vs 1.9%) and Q wave infarction (1.8%vs 1.0%) were similar in the two age groups. In the elderly, procedural difficulties requiring non standard equipment were common (61%), and in-hospital mortality was increased (4.5%vs 0.7%). Additionally, three patients died after discharge resulting in a 30 day mortality of 7.2%. A favourable long term outcome was obtained in 50% of patients at a mean follow up of 20 months. Unfavourable or neutral outcome was due to one or more of the following; death (16%), coronary artery bypass grafting (19%), acute myocardial infarction (7.5%) or significant residual angina (17%). Conclusions: Highly symptomatic patients over 75 years constitute a high risk group for PTCA, with approximately half obtaining a favourable long term outcome.     

Coronary arteriography and coronary artery bypass surgery: morbidity and mortality in patients ages 65 years or older. A report from the Coronary Artery Surgery Study

Of 2144 patients age 65 years or older entered into the registry of the Coronary Artery Surgery Study (CASS) who had coronary arteriography, 1086 underwent isolated coronary artery bypass grafting. Complications of angiography included death in four patients and nonfatal myocardial infarction in 17. Eight patients suffered neurologic complications, which were transient in five. The perioperative mortality was 5.2% (57 of 1086), which is significantly greater than the perioperative mortality of 1.9% (151 of 7827) in patients younger than 65 years entered in CASS (p less than 0.001). There was a trend toward an increased mortality rate with age; it was 4.6% (37 of 803) in patients age 65-69 years, 6.6% (16 of 241) in those 70-74 years and 9.5% (four of 42) in those 75 years or older. The duration of hospital stay after operation was significantly longer for the patients 65 years or older than for the patients younger than 65 (13.3 vs 11.4 days; p less than 0.001). Stepwise linear discriminant analysis identified five variables predictive of perioperative mortality: presence of 70% or more stenosis of the left main coronary artery and a left-dominant circulation, left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, a history of current cigarette smoking, pulmonary rales on auscultation, and presence of one or more associated medical diseases. A second linear discriminant analysis, incorporating 7658 CASS patients who underwent isolated coronary artery bypass surgery irrespective of age, examined whether age 65 years or older was an independent predictor of perioperative mortality. The variables selected, in order of significance, were congestive cardiac failure score, left main coronary artery stenosis and a left-dominant circulation, age 65 years or older, left ventricular wall motion score, sex and history of unstable angina pectoris. In patients 65 years or older, the mortality from coronary arteriography is low, whereas mortality from coronary artery bypass surgery is greater than that in CASS patients younger than 65 years.     

Long-term clinical outcome of coronary artery stenting in elderly patients

BACKGROUND: The elderly constitute a rapidly expanding segment of our population and cardiovascular disease becomes more prevalent with increasing age. Existing data have shown that percutaneous coronary interventions in the elderly are associated with an increase risk of in-hospital complications compared to younger patients. In the present study we retrospectively assessed the long-term clinical outcome of coronary artery stenting in an elderly population and compared them with the cohort of younger patients. METHODS: The study population included 402 consecutive patients with coronary artery disease who underwent coronary artery stenting; of these 69 were elderly (age > 70 years, group I) and 333 were younger (age 相似文献   

Pre and perioperative factors determining early in-hospital mortality in patients over 75 years of age undergoing cardiac surgery

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: To know the in-hospital morbidity and mortality and the related factors in patients over 75 years old undergoing cardiac surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was carried out in 252 out of 2043 consecutive patients (129 female, 123 male) over 75 years of age (mean age 77.8 years; range 75 to 89 years) undergoing open heart surgery from january 1, 1994 to november 30, 1997. Isolated aortic valve replacement was performed in 128 patients, 78 underwent isolated coronary artery bypass grafting and 46 combined surgery. Preoperative determinants of morbidity and mortality were analyzed. RESULTS: The overall hospital mortality was 15.1%, 13.2% in the aortic group, 12.8% in the coronary group and 23.9% in the combined surgery group. The overall morbidity rate was 38.6% and 25.8%, 34.2% in the aortic and coronary groups, respectively. Preoperative risk factors were prior surgery (p < 0.0004) and emergency operation (p < 0.04). In aortic valve replacement, NYHA class IV (p < 0.05), prior operation (p < 0. 01) and emergency surgery (p < 0.01) were determinant. Perioperative factors of early mortality were: prolonged cross-clamping > 60 min (p < 0.02), cardiopulmonary bypass time > 90 min (p < 0.002), need for inotropic drugs (p < 0.005) and postoperative complications (p < 0.00001). Mean postoperative length of hospital stay was 12.8 +/- 8. 5 days. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the greater rate of early morbimortality in patients over 75 years of age, cardiac surgery may be performed avoiding emergency surgery, functional grade IV and prolonged length of surgery.     

Good outcomes from cardiac surgery in the over 70s

OBJECTIVE: To determine the early mortality and major morbidity associated with cardiac surgery in the elderly. DESIGN: Retrospective case record review study of 575 patients >/= 70 years old who underwent cardiac surgery at the Manchester Heart Centre between January 1990 and December 1996. SETTING: Regional cardiothoracic centre. SUBJECTS: Patients >/= 70 years old who underwent cardiac surgery. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Comparison of 30 day mortality and incidence of major morbidity between patients >/= 70 years old and patients < 70 years old. RESULTS: Of 4395 cardiac surgical operations, 575 operations (13.1%) were in patients aged >/= 70 years (mean (SD) 73.1 (3.2) years). The proportion of elderly patients rose progressively from 7.9% in 1990 to 16.5% in 1996. 334 patients (58.1%) had coronary artery bypass grafting alone, 91 patients (15.8%) had valve surgery alone, and 129 patients (22.4%) had combined valve surgery and bypass grafting. For isolated coronary artery bypass grafting, 30 day mortality in patients >/= 70 years was 3.9% compared with 1.3% in patients < 70 years (p < 0.001). 30 day mortality for isolated valve surgery in patients >/= 70 years was 7.7%. Isolated aortic valve replacement was the most common valvar procedure in patients >/= 70 years and carried the lowest mortality (4.3%). Additional coronary artery bypass grafting increased the mortality rate in patients >/= 70 years to 9.3% for all valve surgery and to 8.0% for aortic valve replacement. Major morbidity in patients >/= 70 years was low for all procedure types (stroke 1.9%, acute renal failure requiring dialysis 1.6%, perioperative myocardial infarction 0.5%). CONCLUSIONS: Early mortality and major morbidity is low for cardiac surgery in elderly patients. Concerns over the risk of cardiac surgery in the elderly should not prevent referral, and elderly patients usually do well. However, unconscious rationing of health care may affect referral patterns, and studies that assess the cost effectiveness of cardiac surgery versus conservative management in such patients are lacking.     

CABG in the elderly: the Glasgow experience

One hundred and eleven patients over the age of 65 years who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting in Glasgow between 1980 and 1985 were compared with 548 younger patients, who had coronary artery bypass surgery over a similar period of time. The elderly group had a higher prevalence of females, pre-operative unstable angina, left main coronary artery disease and depressed left ventricular function. There were no significant differences between the two groups in operative morbidity or mortality and angina was abolished or improved in 93% of the elderly patients at follow-up. Coronary artery surgery has an important role in the management of angina in elderly patients.     

Impact of age on hospital course and cost of coronary artery bypass grafting

In-hospital outcomes and cost were examined among 2,272 elderly patients (> or =75 years) and 9,745 younger patients (<75 years) who underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery at 5 United States and 4 Canadian hospitals. Hospital course and cost data were obtained from a resource and cost accounting system used by each of the 9 hospitals. Compared with younger patients, elderly patients had longer hospital stays, increased in-hospital mortality, and increased costs. After controlling for clinical differences, age > or =75 years was associated with an increase in cost of 11%. Given the aging North American population, these results have important implications for health care planning for the next several decades.     

Does coronary angiography before emergency aortic surgery affect in-hospital mortality?

OBJECTIVES: To study the relationship between coronary angiography and in-hospital mortality in patients undergoing emergency surgery of the aorta without a history of coronary revascularization or coronary angiography before the onset of symptoms. BACKGROUND: In the setting of acute ascending aortic dissection warranting emergency aortic repair, coronary angiography has been considered to be desirable, if not essential. The benefits of defining coronary anatomy have to be weighed against the risks of additional delay before surgical intervention. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of patient charts and the Cardiovascular Information Registry (CVIR) at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. RESULTS: We studied 122 patients who underwent emergency surgery of the aorta between January 1982 and December 1997. Overall, in-hospital mortality was 18.0%, and there was no significant difference between those who had coronary angiography on the day of surgery compared with those who had not (No: 16%, n = 81 vs. Yes: 22%, n = 41, p = 0.46). Multivariate analysis revealed that a history of myocardial infarction (MI) was the only predictor of in-hospital mortality (relative risk: 4.98 95% confidence interval: 1.48-16.75, p = 0.009); however, coronary angiography had no impact on in-hospital mortality in patients with a history of MI. Furthermore, coronary angiography did not significantly affect the incidence of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) during aortic surgery (17% vs. 25%, Yes vs. No). Operative reports revealed that 74% of all CABG procedures were performed because of coronary dissection, and not coronary artery disease. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that determination of coronary anatomy may not impact on survival in patients undergoing emergency surgery of the aorta and support the concept that once diagnosed, patients should proceed as quickly as possible to surgery.     

Late follow-up after repair of left ventricular aneurysm and (usually) associated coronary bypass grafting

This study assesses clinical and operative data (LV) aneurysm was repaired to determine factors that might predict in-hospital and long-term outcome. Long-term follow-up study was obtained in 296 of 298 patients undergoing LV aneurysm repair with or without coronary artery bypass grafting between 1974 and 1986. No patient had sustained a myocardial infarction within 2 weeks of surgery or was undergoing other concurrent cardiac surgery. The average age of the study patients was 57 +/- 9 years and the average ejection fraction was 35 +/- 13%. Ninety percent of the patients underwent concurrent bypass grafting, with an average of 2.2 +/- 1.3 grafts placed. Fourteen (5%) patients died in the hospital, with most deaths attributable to LV dysfunction. Advanced age and less extensive revascularization were correlates of in-hospital mortality. The 10-year survival was 57%, myocardial infarction-free survival 43%, and freedom from death, myocardial infarction and reoperative coronary surgery 41%. Advanced age, systemic hypertension, significant left main coronary artery narrowing and emergent operative status were multivariate correlates of long-term mortality. A low-risk population was defined by the absence of these risk factors, and high-risk by the presence of greater than or equal to 1 risk factors. The 10-year survival was 71% in the low-risk and 41% in the high-risk groups (p = .0006). The 10-year myocardial infarction free survival was 55% in the low-risk and 31% in the high-risk groups (p = 0.0017). LV aneurysm repair may be performed with acceptable in-hospital mortality, and the long-term risk may be stratified.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Impact of coronary artery disease on valvular heart surgery

Patients who undergo coronary bypass grafting in association with aortic valve replacement currently have a low in-hospital mortality, but their late survival is inferior to that of patients without coronary disease who undergo isolated aortic valve replacement. Patients who receive porcine heterografts to replace the aortic valve have better late survival and event-free survival after aortic valve replacement combined with bypass grafting than those who received mechanical valves. The analyses of patients who combine coronary artery and mitral valve disease is difficult because of changing surgical practices and diagnostic techniques. Patients undergoing surgery for mitral valve replacement combined with bypass grafting have had higher in-hospital mortality and worse late survival than patients undergoing aortic valve replacement combined with bypass grafting. The increased use of techniques for reconstructing rather than replacing the mitral valve may help improve the long-term results for patients undergoing surgery for mitral valve dysfunction combined with coronary disease.     

Isolierte koronare Bypassoperation in der neunten Lebensdekade

The average age of patients undergoing cardiac surgery has increased continuously during the last three decades due to a progressively increasing number of older people in the population and the advances in operative and perioperative treatment in open heart surgery. Consequently we have investigated the short- and long-term results of isolated myocardial revascularization in patients who are in their ninth decade of life. Between 1 January 1995 and 31 December 1998, 121 patients (51 women, 70 men, age 80 to 88 years, median: 82 years) underwent isolated coronary artery bypass grafting. As part of the revascularization, a unilateral internal mammary artery graft (IMA) was used in 87% of cases. The in-hospital mortality was 6.6%. Analysis of predictors of mortality unveiled the following factors: ejection fraction less than 50%; history of recent left ventricular failure; extent of coronary artery disease; perioperative use of an intraaortic balloon pump (IABP) and symptomatic pericardial effusion. Use of the IMA revealed no influence on in-hospital mortality. The median follow-up time was 20 months (range: 2-48 months). Survival rates after 1, 2, and 3 years were 93.1%, 87.3% and 73.7% for women and 86.9%, 82.5% and 65.1% for men. These survival rates were comparable with those of the entire 82 year old population. Predictors for late death were male gender, history of stroke, history of arterial embolism, and postoperative pulmonary failure resulting in mechanical ventilation. During the follow-up period myocardial infarcts were subsequently not observed. Freedom from angina after 1, 2 and 3 years was 90.1%, 82.6% and 78.1%, respectively. At an interval of 1 year after the operation 87.6% of patients had not been hospitalized as a result of cardiac disorders (2 years: 80.1%, 3 years: 73.2%). Permanent nursing care was not required 1 year after the operation by 94.3% of patients (2 years: 91.5%, 3 years: 91.5%). Four percent of the survivors suffered from permanent delirium, 3% from depression, 5% from lack of concentration, and 6% from vertigo. In summary this study has revealed that, in patients over eighty years of age suffering from ischemic heart disease, coronary artery bypass grafting has acceptable short- and long-term results. Yearly mortality rates during the first 3 years after the operation are comparable with the expected mortality rate in an age-matched population.     

In-hospital outcome in octogenarians with acute coronary syndrome undergoing emergent coronary angiography

Very elderly patients have higher mortality rates than younger patients after acute coronary syndrome (ACS). However, the mechanism by which increasing age contributes to such mortality remains unclear. In addition, the efficacy and safety of invasive coronary procedures for octogenarians with ACS have not been well established. We compared the clinical characteristics and in-hospital outcome of 193 octogenarians (mean age, 83 years) with those of 1,462 younger patients (mean age, 64 years) with ACS who underwent emergent coronary angiography. Octogenarians included a greater number of females, had higher rates of cerebrovascular disease and multivessel disease, a higher Killip class, a higher Forrester class, and lower rates of smoking, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia than the younger subjects. Interventions, including percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), were performed less frequently in octogenarians than in younger patients (88.0% versus 90.8%). The procedural success rate in octogenarians did not differ from that in younger patients. However, the in-hospital mortality rate for the octogenarians was about three times higher than for the younger patients (19.2% versus 6.9%). Multivariate analysis revealed that the predictors of in-hospital mortality in the octogenarians were a higher Killip class and a higher Forrester class. Octogenarians with ACS had fewer coronary risk factors and a similar success rate for the intervention, but had more greatly impaired hemodynamics and higher in-hospital mortality than the younger patients. Therefore, impaired myocardial reserve may contribute to a large portion of in-hospital deaths in octogenarians with ACS.     

Comparison of outcomes of percutaneous coronary interventions in patients of three age groups (<60, 60 to 80, and >80 years) (from the New York State Angioplasty Registry)

Octogenarians have been under-represented in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) trials despite an increase in referrals for PCI. As the United States population ages, the number of high-risk PCIs in the elderly will continue to increase. This study investigated the effect of age on short-term prognosis after PCI in 3 age groups. Using the 2000/2001 New York State Angioplasty Registry, we compared in-hospital mortality and major adverse cardiac events (MACEs; death, stroke, or coronary artery bypass grafting) in emergency and elective PCI cohorts across 3 age categories of patients: 10,964 patients who underwent emergency PCI (<60 years of age, n = 5,354; 60 to 80 years of age, n = 4,939; >80 years of age, n = 671) and 71,176 patients who underwent elective PCI (<60 years of age, n = 24,525; 60 to 80 years of age, n = 40,869; >80 years of age, n = 5,782). Patients were considered to have undergone an emergency PCI if they had an acute myocardial infarction within 24 hours, had thrombolytic therapy within 7 days, or presented with hemodynamic instability or shock. Elderly patients had more co-morbidities, including more extensive coronary atherosclerosis, hypertension, peripheral vascular disease, and renal insufficiency, and presented more frequently with hemodynamic instability or shock. In the emergency PCI group, in-hospital mortality (1.0% vs 4.1% vs 11.5%, p <0.05) and MACEs (1.6% vs 5.2% vs 13.1%, p <0.05) increased incrementally by age group. In the elective PCI group, rates of in-hospital complications were considerably lower, with an incremental increase in mortality (0.1% vs 0.4% vs 1.1%, p <0.05) and MACEs (0.4% vs 0.7% vs 1.6%, p <0.05). Age was strongly predictive of in-hospital mortality for emergency and elective PCI by multivariate analysis. In conclusion, elective PCI in the elderly has favorable outcome and acceptable short-term mortality in the stent era. Elderly patients, in particular octogenarians undergoing emergency PCI, have a substantially higher risk of in-hospital death.     

Coronary artery bypass grafting in the elderly

BACKGROUND AND METHODS: The incidence of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in elderly patients has been increasing. We retrospectively analyzed the results of CABG performed at Shin-Tokyo Hospital between January 1, 1991, and December 31, 1998. Preoperative, perioperative, and follow-up data of patients > or = 75 years old (group E, n = 190) were collected, and compared with those of patients < 75 years old (group Y, n = 1,380). RESULTS: Female gender, emergent CABG, preoperative balloon pumping use, cardiogenic shock, hypertension, and preoperative cerebral vascular accident were significantly more frequent in group E (p < 0.05). CABG was completed without any significant differences, except for less frequent use of the bilateral internal mammary artery (p < 0.01), more frequent use of the saphenous vein (p < 0.005), and a greater incidence of blood transfusion in group E (p < 0.0001). The postoperative course required longer intubation, ICU stay, and postoperative hospital stay in group E (p < 0.001), and was more frequently associated with major complication (p < 0.0001) and in-hospital death (p < 0.05). During the mean follow-up of 2.7 years (maximum 6.9 years), the actuarial 5-year survival of groups E and Y were 84.3% and 92.5% (p < 0.01), respectively, excluding in-hospital mortality. The actuarial 5-year cardiac event-free rates were 79.9% in group E and 79.7% in group Y, showing no significant difference. CONCLUSIONS: CABG in the elderly carries certain surgical risks. However, the long-term cardiac event-free rate after CABG in the elderly was almost the same as that of younger patients. Inferior long-term survival in the elderly was most likely due to the biological nature of aging.     

Concomitant CABG-procedures in elderly patients undergoing aortic valve replacement. An additional risk factor?

OBJECTIVE: Preoperative coronary angiography in elderly people referred to the hospital for aortic valve replacement (AVR) often shows additional significant stenoses of the coronary arteries (CAD). The benefit of concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in these patients is still discussed controversially. By some authors, an isolated AVR in elderly patients with additional CAD is even described to have a better outcome. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We analyzed 283 patients (> or =75 years), undergoing AVR with or without concomitant CABG-procedures. We particularly analyzed those patients who were operated with an isolated AVR in spite of preoperatively known CAD. There were 166 patients in the AVR group (gr. A) and 117 patients in the AVR+CABG group (gr. AC). 51 of these patients with isolated AVR were preoperatively known to have an additional CAD (stenoses <60%) (gr. A2), whereas 115 patients of group A only suffered from an isolated aortic valve disease (gr. A1). RESULTS: Comparing group A and AC, we found a significantly prolonged mechanical ventilation in group AC (22.3+/-5.3 hours vs 10.1+/-1.9 h in gr. A, p<0.05) and a longer stay on the ICU. The incidence of severe postoperative complications and the in-hospital mortality were comparable. In group A2 we could differ between stenoses of the LAD (n=19) and of the right coronary or circumflex artery (n=32). The decision not to bypass a stenosis of the LAD caused a significantly worse outcome of these patients compared to group AC. Ignoring stenoses of the RCA or RCx was not correlated with an impaired postoperative result. CONCLUSIONS: With our results we could not identify concomitant CABG as a predictor of poor surgical outcome in elderly patients with AVR. We could even show that an additional bypass grafting of moderate stenoses of the LAD is important for a good outcome of these patients. Comparable stenoses in the right coronary or circumflex artery may be ignored with the advantage of a shorter period of intraoperative ischemia and the possibility of a secondary catheter intervention.