Clinical outcomes of radiofrequency catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation in octogenarians lO-year experience of a one high-volume center

Background Prevalence of atrial fibrillation （AF） increases with age. Radiofrequency catheter ablation （RFCA） is an establishedtreatment option superior to antiarrhythmics （AAs）. In this study, we investigated safety and efficacy of RFCA of AF in octogenarians.Methods From our database, we extracted procedural and follow-up data for patients 〉 80 years with symptomatic AF undergoing RFCAand compared this population to RFCA patients 〈 50 years. All patients underwent pulmonary vein isolation （PVI） supplemented by linearlesions in PVI-nonresponders. Arrhythmia-free survival was assessed using seven day Holter every three months post procedure. All patientscompleted their 12 months follow-up. Results Fifty patients aged ≥80 years （80.5 ± 1.6 years） were compared to 259 patients aged 〈 50years （43.5±5.5 years）. The RFCA complication rate did not vary between groups. No differences in procedural characteristics were seenafter being analyzed by type of AF. Among patients with paroxysmal AF, 71.4% octogenarian vs. 84.7% young patients was free of anyarrhythmia, without AAs, after single procedure. For non-paroxysmal AF, arrhythmia-free survival without AAs, was considerably lower（58.6% octogenarians vs. 81.2% younger patients, P = 0.023）. If AAs were used, arrhythmia-free survival for paroxysmal AF increased to90.5% and 92.1% in octogenarians and younger patients, respectively; and in non-paroxysmal AF it increased to 79.3% vs. 88.4%. ConclusionsRFCA is a safe and effective strategy to achieve normal sinus rhythm in a highly selected group of octogenarians. Paroxysmal AF ablation inoctogenarians has similar clinical effectiveness as that seen in much younger patients. Non-paroxysmal AF ablation has lower, but still rea-sonable clinical effectiveness.

Coronary artery bypass grafting in the octogenarians： should we intervene, or leave them be？

Objective Coronary artery bypass grafting （CABG） is gradually increasing in the elderly population. We aimed to investigate the risk factors and the results of CABG along with the long term survival in patients at an age of 80 and older. Methods Between Januaa-y 2002 and December 201 I, a total of i01 consecutive patients at an age of S0 and older who underwent CABG in our hospital were included in the study. The patients were followed and the long-term survival was estimated. Results The mean age of the patients was 82.98 ~ 2.27 years. Sixty-four （63.4%） were males and 37 （36.6%） were females. Emergency surgery, duration of cardiopulmonary bypass, the intensive care unit （ICU） stay, inotropic support, intra aortic balloon pulsation application, amount oferythrocyte transfusion and flesh frozen plasma transfusion and ventilation period were significantly higher in the patients who died in the hospital. The duration of cardiopulmonary bypass （CPB） was found to be an inde- pendent predictor of mortality （OR： 1.18, 95% CI 1.01-1.38, P = 0.034）. The in-hospital mortality was 16.8%. Kaplan-Meier analyses revealed a survival ratio of 91.3% at one year, 82.9% at three years and 69.0% at five years. Conclusions Patients at the age of 80 and older can be candidates for the CABG procedure bearing in mind that they may have a longer ventilation period and intensive care unit stay. The morbidity and mortality of this age group is considered within an acceptable range. Approaches to minimize CPB, or the choice of off-pump surgery, may be a preventive method to lower the incidence of mortality. Hence, CABG may be performed in this age group with a satisfactory survival ratio.

Percutaneous nephrolithotomy in octogenarians and beyond:How old is too old?

Objective:To specifically report perioperative characteristics and outcomes in patients 80 years and older undergoing percutaneous nephrolithotomy(PCNL).PCNL has been established as feasible in the elderly;however,to our knowledge no one has specifically reported feasibility in patients 80 years and older.Methods:We retrospectively reviewed perioperative data of octogenarians who underwent PCNL at a high stone volume single institution,and matched them to patients<65 years of age by stone burden and sex.Patient demographics,perioperative outcomes and postoperative complications were compared.Results:Thirty-three octogenarians(mean age 83.6 years)with 36 renal units were matched to 67 controls(mean age 48.6 years)with 72 renal units.Octogenarians had a higher mean American Society of Anesthesiologists(ASA)score,more comorbidities,and worse renal function.There were no differences in operative characteristics,length of hospital stay or stone free rates.Of the patients with preoperative urinary decompression(ureteral stent or nephrostomy tube)prior to PCNL,the elderly were more likely to have a history of urosepsis.Octogenarians did not experience more minor Clavien(Ⅰ-Ⅱ)or major Clavien(Ⅲa-Ⅳb)complications.Conclusion:Octogenarians who undergo PCNL were more likely to have cardiovascular comorbidities and a prior history of sepsis.Despite these risk factors,in appropriately selected patients PCNL can be safely and successfully performed in octogenarians without increased perioperative complications relative to a younger cohort.

Intermediate-term mortality and incidence of ICD therapy in octogenarians after cardiac resynchronization therapy

Background Clinical outcomes of cardiac resynchronization therapy （CRT） in patients over the age of 80 have not been well de-scribed.MethodsWe retrospectively identified 96 consecutive patients≥ 80 years old who underwent an initial implant or an upgrade to CRT, with or without defibrillator （CRT-Dvs. CRT-P）, at our institution between January 2003 and July 2008. The control cohort consisted of 177 randomly selected patients 〈 80 years old undergoing CRT implant during the same time period. The primary efficacy endpoint was all-cause mortality at 36 months, assessed by Kaplan-Meier time to first event curves.Results In the octogenarian cohort, mean age at CRT implant was 83.1 ± 2.9 yearsvs. 60.1 ± 8.8 years among controls （P 〈 0.001）. Across both groups, 70% were male, mean left ventricular ejection fraction （LVEF） was 24.8% ± 14.1% and QRS duration was 154 ± 24.8 ms, without significant differences between groups. Octo-genarians were more likely to have ischemic cardiomyopathy （74%vs. 37%,P 〈 0.001） and more likely to undergo upgrade to CRT instead of an initial implant （42%vs. 19%,P 〈 0.001）. The rate of appropriate defibrillator shocks was lower among octogenarians （14%vs. 27%,P = 0.02） whereas the rate of inappropriate shocks was similar （3%vs. 6%,P = 0.55）. At 36 months, there was no significant difference in the rate of all-cause mortality between octogenarians （11%） and controls （8%,P = 0.381）.ConclusionAppropriately selected octogenarians who are candidates for CRT have similar intermediate-term mortality compared to younger patients receiving CRT.

Steerable microcatheters for complex percutaneous coronary interventions in octogenarians: from Venture to Swift Ninja

0ctogenarians represent the fastest growing group of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI),now constituting more than one in five patients treated with PCI in real-world practice.[1,2]Comparing coronary lesion characteristics of patients aged<≥80 years to those≥80 years undergoing PCI,the octogenarians have a higher prevalence of calcified and ostial lesions,tortuous coronary anatomy,multi-vessel disease and left main stem(LMS)stenosis.⑶Furthermore,they often have greater ischemic burden than their younger counterparts,suggesting an even greater benefit following revascularization.

Improvements in quality of life in septuagenarians versus octogenarians undergoing trans-catheter aortic valve replacement

Background Very elderly patients represent a distinct patient group in clinical setting in terms of a decision for trans-catheter aortic valve replacement （TAVR） when one considers the potential improvement in the quality of life （QoL） on one hand and the benefit to risk ratio on the other. This study aimed to compare functional and QoL outcomes of TAVR between octogenarians and septuagenarians. Methods This prospective cohort study included 136 elderly patients （70 to 89 years of age）, who tmderwent Wansfemoral TAVR due to degenerative aortic stenosis. Patients were allocated into one of the following age groups： septuagenarians （n = 67） and octogenarians （n = 69）. Preoperative and early postoperative clinical parameteT：s were recorded. In addition, QoL of the patients was evaluated using SF-36 questionnaire preoperatively and six month postoperatively. Results Groups were similar in terms of early postoperative mortality and morbidity parameters. The mean New York Heart Association （NYHA） class improved after TAVR in both groups. In addition, all SF-36 norm-based scale and SF-36 summary scale scores improved significantly in both groups during the postoperative period. Postoperatively, physical functioning, general health and physical component summary scores were significantly better in the septuagenarian group （P = 0.02, 0.01, 0.03, respectively）. ConcLusion Although the improvement in the QoL in terms of physical health was more marked in septuagenarians than in octogenarians, substantial benefits on the QoL and particularly on mental health seem to justify re-consideration of TAVR indications in the very elderly.

Cardiac Surgery in Octogenarians and Beyond: Single Center Experience

Background: Increasing numbers of octogenarians and improvements in surgical techniques and postoperative care have resulted in increasing cardiac operations in this age. The aim is to analyze our experience of cardiac surgery on octogenarians and beyond concerning postoperative morbidities and mortality. Methods: 67 octogenarians and nonagenarians underwent open heart surgery in our hospital between 2001 to 2009 were retrospectively reviewed. Data included baseline preoperative status, intraoperative and perioperative course, and immediate outcomes. Results: The mean age was 86.22 ± 6.1 years. 86.6% patients were males. Symptoms were dyspnea;Class II in 13.4%, Class III in 55.2%, Class IV in 31.4% patients;angina in 82.1%, and CHF in 25.4% patients. The mean EF was 37.8% ± 10. Risk factors include smoking in 52.2%, DM in 37.3%, hypertension in 28.4%, obesity in 25.4%, previous MI in 22.4%, COPD in 17.9%, renal insufficiency in 11.9%, pulmonary hypertension in 7.5%, PVD in 6%, and cerebrovascular disease in 3% patients. The procedures were isolated CABG in 73%, AVR in 9%, MVR in 6%, CABG/valve in 9%, and MVR and AVR in 3% patients. Complications were 18%. It included renal impairment in 18%, arrhythmias in 14.9%, bleeding in 6%, prolonged ventilation in 13.4%, CHF in 4.5%, gastrointestinal bleeding in 4.5%, wound infection in 7.5%, and cerebrovascular accident in 3%. Hospital mortality was 9% patients. Conclusions: Cardiac surgery can be performed safely with acceptable hospital morbidity and mortality in octogenarians and beyond. Early referral and proper selection of patients are mandatory to improve immediate postoperative survival.

Comparison of in-hospital outcomes between octogenarians and nonagenarians undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement： a propensity matched analysis

Background Aortic valve stenosis （AS） is very common in the elderly patients above 80 years. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement （TAVR） in such patients is being increasingly performed. This study sought to assess in-hospital outcome differences between octogenarians and nonagenarians and predictors of mortality in nonagenarians undergoing TAVR with severe AS. Method The study population was derived from the National Inpatient Sample （MS） for the years 2012-2014 using ICD-9 CM procedure codes 35.05 and 35.06 for TAVR. Hospitalizations below 80 years of age were excluded. After performing propensity score matching （1： 2）, in-hospital outcomes were compared in matched cohorts. Then, multivariate model was developed to analyze predictors of in-hospital mortality in nonagenarians. Results There were 11,630 hospitalizations in the octogenarian and 5815 hospitalizations in the nonagenarian group. Primary outcome of in-hospital mortality （6% vs. 4.1%, P ≤ 0.001） was higher in nonagenarians compared to octogenarians. Secondary outcomes including stroke （3.4% vs. 2.8%, P ≤ 0.001）, renal failure （18.9% vs. 17.3%, P ≤0.001）, blood transfusion （35% vs. 32.6%, P ≤ 0.001）, vascular complications （4.5% vs. 3.5%, P ≤ 0.001）, and pacemaker implantation （27.8% vs. 24.8%, P ≤ 0.001） were higher in nonagenarians. There was no difference in their length of stay. Median cost （70,3745 vs. 65,3815, P ≤ 0.001） was slightly higher with nonagenarian. Conclusions Although in-hospital mortality is slightly higher in nonagenarians, it is acceptable. This difference in mortality is at least partly explained by higher complications in nonagenarians. Efforts should be made to decrease the complications which can further narrow the difference in in-hospital mortality between the groups.

Outcomes of elective laparoscopic colorectal operations in octogenarians at a district general hospital in South East England

AIM:To assess the outcomes of laparoscopic colorectal cancer resection in the octogenarian population at our institution.METHODS:Retrospective analysis of registry data accumulated prospectively were used in conjunction with the data obtained from patient notes to identify outcome data for octogenarians who had undergone elective laparoscopic colorectal cancer resection.RESULTS:Laparoscopic colorectal cancer resections were performed in 68 octogenarians between 2003 and 2011 at our institution.Four operations(6%) were converted to an open technique.There were twelve cases of morbidity(18%) and two cases of mortality(3%).The overall median hospital stay was 8 d.The median time for a patient to be deemed surgically fit for discharge was 5 d reflecting a delay in provision of social care or stoma education.CONCLUSION:Our results support the view that laparoscopic surgery in octogenarians is safe,feasible and with a reduced length of stay.This is well reflected in our results which are compatible with United Kingdom national figures.

Evaluation of long stent implantation in diffuse coronary lesions for octogenarians

Objective To evaluate angiographic and clinical outcomes of ≥ 20mm long stents or overlapped stent implantation in diffuse coronary lesions for octogenarians, in comparison with patients under sixty. Methods Two groups (Group O: 47 lesions in 44 octogenarians, aged 81± 3 years; Group Y: 64 lesions in 58 patients under sixty, aged 54 ± 4 years) were compared with a 6-month follow-up. Results Success rate of the procedures was 100%. None had in-hospital major adverse cardiac events (MACE). There was no significant difference in angiographic restenosis between the groups at follow-up (Group O vs Group Y, 29.8 % vs 26.6 %, P = NS). The revascularization of target vessel and MACE was less in Group Y, but these showed no statistical significance (15.6% vs 23.4% and 20.7% vs 25.0%, respectively). Conclusions Long stent implantation for diffuse coronary lesions in octogenarians appears safe and feasible, with high procedural success and favorable long-term outcomes.

Random forests to predict survival of octogenarians with brain metastases from nonsmall-cell lung cancer

Background:To create and validate nomograms for the personalized prediction of survival in octogenarians with newly diagnosed nonsmall-cell lung cancer(NSCLC)with sole brain metastases(BMs).Methods:Random forests(RF)were applied to identify independent prognostic factors for building nomogram models.The predictive accuracy of the model was evaluated based on the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve,C-index,and calibration plots.Results:The area under the curve(AUC)values for overall survival at 6,12,and 18 months in the validation cohort were 0.837,0.867,and 0.849,respectively;the AUC values for cancer-specific survival prediction were 0.819,0.835,and 0.818,respectively.The calibration curves visualized the accuracy of the model.Conclusion:The new nomograms have good predictive power for survival among octogenarians with sole BMs related to NSCLC.

Microwave ablation of hepatocellular carcinomas in octogenarians

Aim:To evaluate wether it is safe and meaningful to treat octogenarians with microwave ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma.With an ageing population being healthier than previous generations,old limits for treating disease founded on patient age need to be revised.One of the most common tumour related death causes is hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).With the development of minimally invasive therapies with curative potential,new ground is being broken offering treatments to older patients in the hope of achieving prolongation and better quality of life.Methods:In this retrospective single centre study of patients having a first microwave ablation therapy for HCC in a national referral centre for ablative liver treatments,septuagenarians(n=161,age 70-80)were compared with octogenarians(n=32,age 80-90).Results:Octogenarians selected for microwave ablation of HCC at a regional multidisciplinary team conference have similar outcomes as their younger control group.Survival,complications and length of stay are not different.Conclusion:Octogenarians who are fit for ablative treatment of HCC should not be disqualified on grounds of age,recognising that this group has an obvious immortality,or lead-time,bias as well as a probable selection bias in part explaining their good results.

Survival after resection of colorectal liver metastases in octogenarians and sexagenarians compared to their respective age-matched national population

Background: The aim of the current study was to investigate survival after resection of colorectal liver metastases (CLM) in octogenarians. The survival of octogenarian patients was compared to the survival of the national population of octogenarians and the survival of sexagenarians, the latter representing the average-age patient undergoing resection of CLM. Methods: Octogenarian and sexagenarian were defined as person 80–89 and 60–69 years of age, respectively. Survival analyses of patients who underwent resection of CLM between 2002 and 2014 were performed. Data from Statistics Norway were used to estimate the survival of the age-matched national population of octogenarians (ageM-Octo) and the age-matched national population of sexagenarians (ageM-Sexa). Results: During the study period, 59 octogenarians underwent resection of CLM. The majority of patients underwent a minor liver resection (n=50). In octogenarians, the 5-year survival was 32.5% and 66.3%[difference, 33.8 percentage points (pp)] in patients and ageM-Octo, respectively. The 10-year survival was 14.1% and 31.2% (difference, 17.1 pp) in patients and ageM-Octo, respectively. In sexagenarians, the 5-year survival was 50.9% and 96.2% (difference, 45.3 pp) in patients and ageM-Sexa, respectively. The 10-year survival was 35.7% and 90.3% (difference, 54.6 pp) in patients and ageM-Sexa, respectively. The 5-year cancer-specific survival and 5-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) after resection of CLM in octogenarians were 43.1% and 32.9%, respectively. Conclusions: After resection of CLM, the survival was poorer in octogenarians than in sexagenarians. However, the difference between the survival curves of patients and their age-matched population was smaller in octogenarians. In practice, this finding may indicate a greater benefit of resection in the elderly than the survival rates alone would suggest.

Clinical efficacy of different treatments and their impacts on the quality of life of octogenarians with coronary artery disease

Background:Coronary artery disease(CAD)in octogenarians(age of>80 years)has a high risk of mortality and high expenses.Research shows that the prevalence of CAD is higher among octogenarians than that among younger people,but few such patients undergo percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI)or coronary artery bypass grafting(CABG).This study aimed to evaluate different treatments w让h respect to their clinical effects and impacts on quality of life of octogenarians with CAD.Methods:Data of 519 octogenarians with CAD consecutively treated at Beijing Anzhen Hospital,Capital Medical University(Beijing,China)from January 2010 to January 2016 were collected in this study.The patients were categorized into three groups based on the treatments they received:the PCI group(n=292),CABG group(n=110),and medical treatment group(n=117).The followings were recorded during follow-up:clinical data,death(all-cause and cardiovascular-related),re-hospitalization time,Seattle Angina Questionnaire(SAQ)score,and occurrence of hemorrhagic events(cerebral bleeding,gastrointestinal bleeding,and dermal ecchymosis).Results:The median follow-up duration was 25.0(25th,75th percentile:17.0,55.5)months among 417 patients.The all-cause death rates(28.2%vs.12.0%and 14.6%,respectively)and cardiovascular-related death rates(15.4%us.3.8%and 6.4%,respectively)were significantly higher in the medical treatment group than those in the PCI group and CABG group(all P<0.05).The re-hospitalization rate for cardiovascular events was significantly lower in the CABG group than those in the PCI group and medical treatment group(3.8%vs.12.8%and 14.9%,respectively)(x^2=8.23&P=0.018).The SAQ scores of physical limitation,angina frequency,treatment satisfaction,and disease perception were significantly higher in the PCI group and CABG group than those in the medical treatment group(all P<0.05).No significant difference in the angina stability score was observed among the three groups(F=3.179,P=0.204).Conclusion:PCI and CABG result in reduced mortality and better quality of life in octogenarians with CAD.

Post-transplant biliary complications using liver grafts from deceased donors older than 70 years:Retrospective case-control study

BACKGROUND The shortage of liver grafts and subsequent waitlist mortality led us to expand the donor pool using liver grafts from older donors.AIM To determine the incidence,outcomes,and risk factors for biliary complications(BC)in liver transplantation(LT)using liver grafts from donors aged>70 years.METHODS Between January 1994 and December 31,2019,297 LTs were performed using donors older than 70 years.After excluding 47 LT for several reasons,we divided 250 LTs into two groups,namely post-LT BC(n=21)and without BC(n=229).This retrospective case-control study compared both groups.RESULTS Choledocho-choledochostomy without T-tube was the most frequent technique(76.2%in the BC group vs 92.6%in the non-BC group).Twenty-one patients(8.4%)developed BC(13 anastomotic strictures,7 biliary leakages,and 1 nonanastomotic biliary stricture).Nine patients underwent percutaneous balloon dilation and nine required a Rouxen-Y hepaticojejunostomy because of dilation failure.The incidence of post-LT complications(graft dysfunction,rejection,renal failure,and non-BC reoperations)was similar in both groups.There were no significant differences in the patient and graft survival between the groups.Moreover,only three deaths were attributed to BC.While female donors were protective factors for BC,donor cardiac arrest was a risk factor.CONCLUSION The incidence of BC was relatively low on using liver grafts>70 years.It could be managed in most cases by percutaneous dilation or Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy,without significant differences in the patient or graft survival between the groups.

An overview of PCI in the very elderly

Cardiovascular disease, and in particular ischemic heart disease （IHD）, is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the very elderly （〉 80 years） worldwide. These patients represent a rapidly growing cohort presenting for percntaneous coronary intervention （PCI）, now constituting more than one in five patients treated with PCI in real-world practice. Furthermore, they often have greater ischemic burden than their younger counterparts, suggesting that they have greater scope of benefit from coronary revascularization therapy. Despite this, the very elderly are frequently under-represented in clinical revascularization trials and historically there has been a degree of physician reluctance in referring them for PCI procedures, with perceptions of disappointing outcomes, low success and high complication rates. Several issues have contributed to this, including the tendency for older patients with IHD to present late, with atypical symptoms or non-diagnostic ECGs, and reservations regarding their procedural risk-to-benefit ratio, due to shorter life expectancy, presence of comorbidities and increased bleeding risk from antiplatelet and anticoagulation medications. However, advances in PCI technology and techniques over the past decade have led to better outcomes and lower risk of complications and the existing body of evidence now indicates that the very elderly actually derive more relative benefit from PCI than younger populations. Importantly, this applies to all PCI settings： elective, urgent and emergency. This review discusses the role of PCI in the very elderly presenting with chronic stable IHD, non ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome, and ST-elevation myocardial infarction. It also addresses the clinical challenges met when considering PCI in this cohort and the ongoing need for research and development to further improve outcomes in these challenging patients.

Acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding in octοgenarians:Clinical outcome and factors related to mortality

AIM: To evaluate the aetiology, clinical outcome and factors related to mortality of acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (AUGIB) in octogenarians. METHODS: We reviewed the records of all patients over 65 years old who were hospitalised with AUGIB in two hospitals from January 2006 to December of 2006. Patients were divided into two groups: Group A (65-80 years old) and Group B (> 80 years old). RESULTS: Four hundred and sixteen patients over 65 years of age were hospitalized because of AUGIB. Group A included 269 patients and Group B 147 patients. Co-morbidity was more common in octogenarians (P = 0.04). The main cause of bleeding was peptic ulcer in both groups. Rebleeding and emergency surgery were uncommon in octogenarians and not different from those in younger patients. In-hospital complications were more common in octogenarians (P = 0.05) and more patients died in the group of octogenarians compared to the younger age group (P = 0.02). Inability to perform endoscopic examination (P = 0.002), presence of high risk for rebleeding stigmata (P = 0.004), urea on admission (P = 0.036), rebleeding (P = 0.004) and presenceof severe co-morbidity (P < 0.0001) were related to mortality. In multivariate analysis, only the presence of severe co-morbidity was independently related to mortality (P = 0.032). CONCLUSION: While rebleeding and emergency surgery rates are relatively low in octogenarians with AUGIB, the presence of severe co-morbidity is the main factor of adverse outcome.

Influence of cognitive impairment on cardiac mortality after percutaneous coronary intervention in very elderly patients: a retrospective observational study

Background Cognitive impairment (CI) increases cardiac mortality among very elderly patients. Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for ischemic heart disease (IHD) patients is considered a favorable strategy for decreasing cardiac mortality. Here, we investigated the influence of CI on cardiac mortality after PCI in very elderly patients. Methods We performed a retrospective observational analysis of patients who received PCI between 2012 and 2014 at the South Miyagi Medical Center, Japan. IHD patients over 80 years old who underwent the Mini-Mental State Examination for CI screening during hospitalization and/or who had been diagnosed with CI were included. Participants were divided into CI and non-CI groups, and cardiac mortality and incidence of adverse cardiac events in a 3-year follow-up period were compared between groups. Statistical analyses were performed using the t-test,χ^2 test, and multivariable Cox regression analysis, with major comorbid illness and conventional cardiac risk factors as confounders. Results Of 565 patients, 95 were included (41 CI, 54 non-CI). Cardiac mortality during the follow-up period was significantly higher in the CI group (36%) compared with the non-CI group (13%)(OR = 4.3, 95% CI: 1.56–11.82, P < 0.05). CI was an independent cardiac prognostic factor after PCI and, for CI patients, living only with a CI partner was an independent predictor of cardiac death within three years. Conclusions CI significantly affected cardiac prognosis after PCI in very elderly patients, particularly those living with a CI partner. To improve patients’ prognoses, social background should be considered alongside conventional medical measures.

Outcome of laparoscopic cholecystectomy is not influenced by chronological age in the elderly

AIM:To evaluate the outcome of laparoscopic cholecystectomy(LC)in patients aged 80 years and older. METHODS:A total of 353 patients aged 65 to 79 years(group 1)and 35 patients aged 80 years and older(group 2)underwent LC.Patients were further classified into two other groups:those with uncomplicated gallbladder disease(group A)or those with complicated gallbladder disease(group B). RESULTS:There were no significant differences between the age groups(groups 1 and 2)with respect to clinical characteristics such as age,gender,comorbid disease,or disease presentation.Mean operative time,conversion rate,and the incidence of major postoperative complications were similar in groups 1 and 2.However,the percentage of high-risk patients was significantly higher in group 2 than in group 1 (20.0%vs 5.7%,P<0.01).Group A comprised 322 patients with a mean age of 71.0±5.3 years,and group B comprised 51 patients with a mean age of 69.9±4.8 years.In group B,mean operative time (78.4±49.3 min vs 58.3±35.8 min,P<0.01),mean postoperative hospital stay(7.9±6.5 d vs 5.0±3.7 d, P<0.01),and the incidence of major postoperative complications(9.8%vs 3.1%,P<0.05)were significantly greater than in group A.The conversion rate tended to be higher in group B,but this difference was not significant. CONCLUSION:Perioperative outcomes in elderly patients who underwent LC seem to be influenced by the severity of gallbladder disease,and not by chronologic age.In octogenarians,LC should be performed at an earlier,uncomplicated stage of the disease whenever possible to improve perioperative outcomes.

Bleeding outcomes after non-emergency percutaneous coronary intervention in the very elderly

Background Octogenarians constitute an increasing proportion of patients presenting for non-emergency percutaneous coronary intervention （PCI）. Methods This study evaluated the in-hospital procedural characteristics and outcomes, including the bleeding events of 293 octogenarians presenting between January 2010 and December 2012 for non-emergency PCI to a single large volume tertiary care Aus- tralian center. Comparisons were made with 293 consecutive patients aged less than or equal to 60 years, whose lesions were matched with the octogenarians. Results Non-ST elevation myocardial infarction was the most frequent indication for non-emergency PCI in octoge- narians. Compared to the younger cohort, they had a higher prevalence of co-morbidities and more complex coronary disease, comprising more type C and calcified lesions. Peri-procedural use of low molecular weight heparin （LMWH; 1.0% vs. 5.8%; P 〈 0.001） and glycopro- tein IIb/IIIa inhibitors （2.1% vs. 9.6%; P 〈 0.001） was lower, while femoral arterial access was used more commonly than in younger patients （80.9% vs. 67.6%; P 〈 0.001）. Overall, there was a non-significant trend towards higher incidence of all bleeding events in the elderly （9.2% vs. 5.8%; P = 0.12）. There was no significant difference in access site or non-access site bleeding and major or minor bleeding between the two cohorts. Sub-analysis did not reveal any significant influence on bleeding rates by the use of LMWH, glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors or femoral arterial access. In addition, there were no significant differences in the rates of in-hospital mortality, stroke or acute stent thrombosis between the two groups. Conclusions In this single center study, we did not observe significant increases in adverse in-hospital outcomes including the incidence of bleeding in octogenarians undergoing non-emergency PCI.