Endovascular vs open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair - A comparison of cardiac morbidity and mortality

Hypothesis: Adverse cardiac event rates following endovascular abdominal ao rtic aneurysm (EAAA) and open abdominal aortic aneurysm (OAAA) repair are s imilar. We also hypothesized that the Eagle criteria (Q wave on electrocard iogram, diabetes, angina, congestive heart failure, age >70 years, and vent ricular ectopy) are useful predictors of cardiac events in patients undergo ing EAAA repair. Design: Prospective (patients undergoing EAAA repair) and retrospective (pa tients undergoing OAAA repair). Setting: Public teaching and Veterans Affairs medical centers. Patients: Eighty-three EAAA and 63 OAAA repairs. Main Outcome Measurer: Myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, and cardiac death. Results: Patients with EAAA were older (73 vs 68 years, P=.003). There were no differences in the mean number of Eagle criteria (1.2 vs 1.3), cardiac event rates (6% vs 4.8%), or mortalities (3.6% vs 4.8%;,). Within the EAAA group, congestive heart failure (P = .005) and Q wave on electrocardiogram (P = .006) were the only predictors of cardiac events. Conclusions: Patients undergoing OAAA and EAAA repair had similar cardiac e vent rates and mortality. In patients undergoing EAAA repair, history of co ngestive heart failure and Q wave on electrocardiogram were predictors of c ardiac events.