Octogenarians are not at increased risk for periprocedural stroke following carotid artery stenting

We analyzed the risk of adverse events following carotid angioplasty and stenting (CAS) in patients <80 years (group I) compared with those > or = 80 years of age (group II).

Prospective data from 224 patients who underwent 235 consecutive CAS procedures at three participating institutions were reviewed retrospectively. All subjects were enrolled in Food and Drug Administration-approved clinical trials of CAS in high-risk patients or in institutional protocols. Procedural details and angiographic morphology were reviewed in all cases. All patients underwent independent neurological evaluation at 24hr and 30 days following CAS.

Mean age was 69.9 years in the younger cohort and 83.5 years in the older group. Embolic protection devices were successfully deployed in 97.5% of cases in group I compared with 98.7% in group II (p=nonsignificant [NS]). Procedural success, defined as <30% residual stenosis after CAS, was achieved in all cases. Mean hospital stay was similar in the two groups. Transient ischemia attacks occurred in 1.9% in group I and 1.3% in group II (p=NS). Within 30 days of CAS, the risk of minor or major stroke (p=NS) as well as the composite risk of stroke (minor or major) and death was 2.5% in group I and 3.8% in group II (p=NS). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that absence of hypertension (odds ratioi [OR]=0.38, p=0.0352) and chronic renal insufficiency (OR=2.62, p=0.0238) were significant predictors of the composite end point of stroke and all-cause mortality. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that survival and freedom from the combined end point of stroke and all-cause mortality were similar for patients in groups I and II.

Octogenarians are not at increased risk of periprocedural adverse events following CAS compared to younger patients. Exclusion of high-risk patients from CAS based on age alone is unjustified.