Operative and middle-term results of cardiac surgery in nonagenarians: A bridge toward routine practice

Background: Age >90 years represents in many centers an absolute contraindication to cardiac surgery. Nonagenarians are a rapidly growing subset of the population posing an expanding clinical problem. To provide helpful information in regard to this complex decision, we analyzed the operative and 5-year results of coronary and valvular surgical procedures in these patients. Methods and Results: We retrospectively reviewed 127 patients aged ≥90 years who underwent cardiac surgery within our hospital group in the period 1998 to 2008. Kaplan-Meier and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed. A longer follow-up than most published studies and the largest series published thus far are presented. Mean age was 92 years (range, 90 to 103 years). Mean logistic EuroSCORE was 21.3±6.1. Sixty patients had valvular surgery (including 11 valve repairs), 49 patients had coronary artery bypass grafting, and 18 had valvular plus coronary artery bypass grafting surgery (55 left mammary artery grafts implanted). Forty-five patients (35.4%) were operated on nonelectively. Operative mortality was 13.4% (17 cases). Fifty-four patients (42.5%) had a complicated postoperative course. There were no statistically significant differences in the rate and type of complications between patient strata on the basis of type of surgery performed. Nonelective priority predicted a complicated postoperative course. Predictors of operative mortality were nonelective priority and previous myocardial infarction. Kaplan-Meier survival estimates at 5 years were comparable between patient groups on the basis of procedure performed. Conclusions: Although the rate of postoperative complications remains high, cardiac surgery in nonagenarians can achieve functional improvement at the price of considerable operative and follow-up mortality rates. Cardiac operations in these very elderly subjects are supported if appropriate selection is made and if the operation is performed earlier and electively. Our results should contribute to the development of guidelines for cardiac operations in nonagenarians. © 2010 American Heart Association. All rights reserved

Contemporary outcomes of conventional aortic valve replacement in 638 octogenarians: insights from an Italian Regional Cardiac Surgery Registry (RERIC).

OBJECTIVES: Few data exist on contemporary outcomes after conventional aortic valve replacement (AVR) in the elderly. Accordingly, we evaluated contemporary outcomes and identified predictors of reduced survival in a large series of octogenarians undergoing AVR. METHODS: The Regione Emilia Romagna Cardiac Surgery registry (RERIC) database (n = 2 6938) was queried for clinical features, hospital and mid-term outcomes of octogenarians undergoing AVR between 2003 and 2009. Predictors of hospital and mid-term mortality were identified. RESULTS: The study population consisted of 638 patients. NYHA class III-IV, congestive heart failure, cerebrovascular disease, extra-cardiac arteriopathy, mostly exacerbated patients' clinical profile. Mean log-EuroSCORE was 13.0%. Overall hospital mortality and stroke rates were 4.5% and 1.3%, respectively. Other post-operative complications included renal failure (4.9%), intubation time >48 h (3.4%), complete atrio-ventricular block (4.4%). NYHA III-IV (OR = 2.7; CI 95%:1.2-6.7) and CCS III-IV (OR = 3.1; CI 95%:1.1-9.4) emerged as independent predictors of hospital mortality on multivariate analysis. At 6 years, octogenarians' survival rate was similar to the expected survival of the age- and sex-matched regional population. CCS III-IV (HR = 2.1; CI 95%:1.2-4), preoperative creatinine > 2.1 (HR = 2.8; CI 95%:1.4-5.9), extra-cardiac arteriopathy (HR = 1.5; CI 95%:1.1-2.1) and peripheral neurological dysfunction (HR = 3.8; CI 95%:1.4-10.4) emerged as independent risk factors for decreased 6 years' survival. CONCLUSIONS: This study, showing that contemporary outcomes after AVR are excellent, may help to improve treatment decision-making in elderly patients with aortic valve disease

Contemporary outcomes of conventional aortic valve replacement in 638 octogenarians: insights from an Italian Regional Cardiac Surgery Registry (RERIC)

Abstract OBJECTIVES: Few data exist on contemporary outcomes after conventional aortic valve replacement (AVR) in the elderly. Accordingly, we evaluated contemporary outcomes and identified predictors of reduced survival in a large series of octogenarians undergoing AVR. METHODS: The Regione Emilia Romagna Cardiac Surgery registry (RERIC) database (n = 2 6938) was queried for clinical features, hospital and mid-term outcomes of octogenarians undergoing AVR between 2003 and 2009. Predictors of hospital and mid-term mortality were identified. RESULTS: The study population consisted of 638 patients. NYHA class III-IV, congestive heart failure, cerebrovascular disease, extra-cardiac arteriopathy, mostly exacerbated patients' clinical profile. Mean log-EuroSCORE was 13.0%. Overall hospital mortality and stroke rates were 4.5% and 1.3%, respectively. Other post-operative complications included renal failure (4.9%), intubation time >48 h (3.4%), complete atrio-ventricular block (4.4%). NYHA III-IV (OR = 2.7; CI 95%:1.2-6.7) and CCS III-IV (OR = 3.1; CI 95%:1.1-9.4) emerged as independent predictors of hospital mortality on multivariate analysis. At 6 years, octogenarians' survival rate was similar to the expected survival of the age- and sex-matched regional population. CCS III-IV (HR = 2.1; CI 95%:1.2-4), preoperative creatinine > 2.1 (HR = 2.8; CI 95%:1.4-5.9), extra-cardiac arteriopathy (HR = 1.5; CI 95%:1.1-2.1) and peripheral neurological dysfunction (HR = 3.8; CI 95%:1.4-10.4) emerged as independent risk factors for decreased 6 years' survival. CONCLUSIONS: This study, showing that contemporary outcomes after AVR are excellent, may help to improve treatment decision-making in elderly patients with aortic valve disease

InP HBT Thermal Management by Transferring to High Thermal Conductivity Silicon Substrate

International audienc

Aortic valve replacement: results and predictors of mortality from a contemporary series of 2256 patients

OBJECTIVE: The study's objectives were to evaluate results and identify predictors of hospital and mid-term mortality after primary isolated aortic valve replacement; compare early and mid-term survival of patients aged more than 80 years or less than 80 years; and assess the effectiveness of the logistic European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation in predicting the risk for hospital mortality in octogenarians with a logistic European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation greater than 15% who are undergoing aortic valve replacement. METHODS: Data from 2256 patients undergoing primary isolated aortic valve replacement between January 2003 and December 2007 were prospectively collected in a Regional Registry (Regione Emilia Romagna Interventi Cardiochirurgia) and analyzed to estimate hospital and mid-term results. RESULTS: Overall hospital mortality was 2.2%. By multivariate analysis, New York Heart Association III and IV, Canadian Cardiovascular Society III and IV, pulmonary artery pressure greater than 60 mm Hg, dialysis, central neurologic dysfunction, and severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease emerged as independent predictors of hospital mortality. At 3 years, the survival was 89.3%. The same predictors of hospital mortality plus ejection fraction of 30% to 50% and age more than 80 years emerged as independent risk factors for 3-year mortality. Compared with younger patients, octogenarians had a higher hospital mortality rate (3.72% vs 1.81%; P = .0143) and a reduced 3-year survival (82.3% vs 91.3%; P < .001). Three-year survival of octogenarians was comparable to the expected survival of an age- and gender-matched regional population (P = .157). The observed mortality rate in octogenarians with a logistic European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation greater than 15% (mean: 22.4%) was 7% (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides contemporary data on the characteristics and outcome of patients undergoing first-time isolated aortic valve replacement

Plasma levels of active Von Willebrand factor are increased in patients with first ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction : a multicenter and multiethnic study

AIMS: Von Willebrand factor (VWF), a key player in hemostasis and thrombosis, is released from endothelial cells during inflammation. Upon release, VWF is processed by ADAMTS13 into an inactive conformation. The aim of our study was to investigate whether plasma levels of active VWF, total VWF, ADAMTS13, osteoprotegerin (OPG) and the ratios between VWF and ADAMTS13 are risk factors for first ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). METHODS AND RESULTS: We assessed 1026 patients with confirmed first STEMI and 652 control subjects from China, Italy and Scotland, within six hours after their cardiovascular event. Median plasma levels of total VWF, active VWF, OPG and ratios VWF/ADAMTS13 were increased, while plasma levels of ADAMTS13 were decreased in patients compared to controls. The odds ratio (OR) of STEMI in patients with high plasma levels of active VWF was 2.3 (interquartile range (IQR): 1.8-2.9), total VWF was 1.8 (1.4-2.3), ADAMTS13 was 0.6 (05-0.8), OPG was 1.6 (1.2-2.0) and high VWF/ADAMTS13 ratios was 1.5 (1.2-2.0). The OR for total VWF, active VWF and ratios VWF/ADAMTS13 remained significant after adjustment for established risk factors, medical treatment, C-reactive protein, total VWF, ADAMTS13 and OPG. When we adjusted for levels of active VWF, the significance of the OR for VWF and ratios VWF/ADAMTS13 disappeared while the OR for active VWF remained significant. CONCLUSIONS: We found evidence that plasma levels of active VWF are an independent risk factor for first STEMI in patients from three different ethnic groups. Our findings confirm the presence of VWF abnormalities in patients with STEMI and may be used to develop new therapeutic approaches