Outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention in patients ≥ 75 years： one-center study in a Chinese patient group

Objective To investigate the clinical and perioperative characteristics of patients ≥ 75 who undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention （PCI） and to evaluate the risk factors related to short-term post-PCI mortality in this specific patients group. Methods 1,035 consecutive subjects who underwent PCI from December 2011 to November 2013 were divided into four categories： （1） patients with stable angina （SA） 〉 75 years （n = 58）; （2） patients with SA 〈 75 years （n = 218）; （3） patients with acute coronary syndrome （ACS） ≥ 75 years （n = 155）; （4） patients with ACS 〈 75 years （n - 604）. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to detect risk factors of six-month mortality in patients ≥ 75 years who had undergone PCI. Clinical comorbidities, in-hospital biochemical indicators, perioperative data, in-hospital and six-month outcomes were analyzed and compared among the four groups. Results Compared with the younger group, pa- tients 〉 75 years were more likely to have hypertension, history of stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, peripheral vascular disease, cardiogenic shock and malignant mxhythmia, and they were admitted to hospital with relative lower weight, hemoglobin, albumin, triglyceride, higher creatinine, uric acid, urea nitrogen and pro-BNP. Left main artery lesions, multi-vessel, calcified lesions, chronic totally occlusion were also more likely to be seen in the elderly group. Univariate analysis revealed that age 〉 85 years, cardiogenic shock or severe arrhythmia at ad- mission, emergency PCI, prior stroke and chronic kidney disease were related to six-month mortality in elderly patients 〉 75 years who underwent PCI. Multivariable logistic regression showed that cardiogenic shock or severe arrhythmia at admission, chronic kidney disease and prior stroke were independent risk factors predicting six-month mortality in elderly patients 〉 75 years who had undergone PCI. Conclusions Our data showed that, compared with patients under 75 years, elderly patients （〉 75 years） who had undergone PCI had a relative higher risk of mortality, and more often accompanied with multi-comorbidities, severer admission conditions and complex coronary lesions. Better evaluation of risk factors and more intensively care should be taken to patients 〉 75 years who had undergone PCI therapy to reduce complications.

Short-term safety and efficacy of the biodegradable iron stent in mini-swine coronary arteries

Background To overcome the drawbacks of permanent years. The bioabsorbable polymer vascular scaffold （BVS） stents, biodegradable stents have been studied in recent was the first bioabsorbable stent to undergo clinical trials, demonstrating safety and feasibility in the ABSORB studies. Iron can potentially serve as the biomatedal for biodegradable stents. This study aimed to assess the short4erm safety and efficacy of a biodegradable iron stent in mini-swine coronary arteries. Methods Eight iron stents and eight cobalt chromium alloy （VISION） control stents were randomly implanted into the LAD and RCA of eight healthy mini-swine, respectively. Two stents of the same metal base were implanted into one animal. At 28 days the animals were sacrificed after coronary angiography, and histopathological examinations were performed. Results Histomorphometric measurements showed that mean neointimal thickness （（0.46±0.17） mm vs. （0.45±0.18） mm, P=0.878）, neointimal area （（2.55±0.91） mm2 vs. （3.04±1.15） mm2, P=0.360） and percentage of area stenosis （（44.50±11.40）% vs. （46.00±17.95）%, P=0.845） were not significantly different between the iron stents and VISION stents. There was no inflammation, thrombosis or necrosis in either group. The scanning electron microscopy （SEM） intimal injury scores （0.75±1.04 vs. 0.88±0.99, P=0.809） and number of proliferating cell nuclear antigen （PCNA） positive staining cells were not significantly different between the two groups. The percentage of neointimal coverage by SEM examination was numerically higher in iron stents than in VISION stents （（84.38±14.50）% vs. （65.00±22.04）%, P=0.057）, but the difference was not statistically significant. Iron staining in the tissue surrounding the iron stents at 28 days was positive and the vascular wall adjacent to the iron stent had a brownish tinge, consistent with iron degradation. No abnormal histopathological changes were detected in coronary arteries or major organs. Conclusions The biodegradable iron stent has good biocompatibility and short-term safety and efficacy in the mini- swine coronary artery. Corrosion of iron stents is observed at four weeks and no signs of organ toxicity related to iron degradation were noted.