Transradial cardiac catheterization in elderly patients

The safety and efficacy of transradial cardiac catheterization in elderly p atients is unknown. This study examines procedure success rates for transra dial catheterization in appropriately selected patients < 70 (n = 195) and <greater than or equal to> 70 (n = 83) years old. Elderly patients were les s likely to be selected for the transradial approach (46% vs. 61%; P = 0.05 ). Although patients greater than or equal to 70 years old were more often female (39.7% vs. 24.1%; P = 0.008) and had a smaller body surface area (1. 89 +/- 0.18 vs. 2.01 +/- 8.24 m2; P = 0.001), procedure success rates did n ot differ (95.1% vs. 94.8%; P = NS). Procedure-related variables including procedure time (15.4 +/- 12.6 vs. 16.1 +/- 11.6 min; P = NS), amount of rad iographic contrast (90.1 +/- 31.9 vs. 86.4 +/- 29.8 cc; P = NS), and number of catheters used (1.5 +/- 0.9 vs. 1.5 +/- 0.7; P = NS) were similar betwe en groups. We conclude that transradial catheterization can be safely and e ffectively performed in selected elderly patients. Cathet. Cardiovasc. Inte rvent. 51:287-290, 2000. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.