COMPARISON OF 6-MONTH OUTCOME OF CORONARY-ARTERY STENTING IN PATIENTSLESS-THAN-65, 65-75, AND GREATER-THAN-75 YEARS OF AGE

We studied 1,238 patients receiving 1,880 coronary stents. In-hospital outcomes were divided by age into <65 years (n = 747, group 1), 65 to 75 years (n = 326, group 2), and >75 years (n = 165, group 3). Proced ural success was 97.2%, 95.1%, and 98.8% in groups 1, 2, and 3, respec tively (p = NS). There was 1 death (group 1). Myocardial infarction oc curred in 1.2%, 2.8%, and 1.8%, bypass surgery occurred in 0.9%, 1.8%, and 1.2%, and repeat balloon angioplasty in 0.3%, 0.6%, and 0% of pat ients in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively (p = NS for all comparisons) . Vascular complications occurred in 2.8%, 4.9%, and 6.1% in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively (p <0.05). Six-month follow-up of patients was divided by age: <65 years (n = 564, group 1); 65 to 75 years (n = 221 , group 2); and >75 years (n = 122, group 3). Event-free survival was 94.5%, 90.5%, and 89.3% for groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively (p = NS). Death occurred in 0.4%, 0.5%, and 1.6%; myocardial infarction occurre d in 1.2%, 2.3%, and 1.6%, and target vessel revascularization in 4.3% , 8.6%, and 7.4% for groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively (p = NS for all comparisons). Thus, coronary stenting produced favorable in-hospital a nd 6-month outcomes in all 3 age groups. Age itself should not preclud e patients from undergoing coronary stenting. (C) 1997 by Excerpta Med ica, Inc.