Safety, effectiveness, and outcomes of cardiac catheterization in nonagenarians

With an aging population, nonagenarians (≥90 years of age) are increasingly being considered for cardiac catheterization. Because of the paucity of outcomes data in this population, we sought to evaluate the acute and intermediate outcomes of nonagenarians undergoing cardiac catheterization. A retrospective cohort of 44 nonagenarians undergoing 53 cardiac catheterizations from 2002 to 2010 was identified. Mean age was 91 years (range 90 to 96) with 57% of patients being women. Thirteen percent presented with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, 32% with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, 14% with unstable angina, 25% with chronic angina, and 16% with aortic stenosis. Eighteen percent had left main coronary artery disease and 73% had multivessel coronary disease. Complications occurred in 6 of 44 patients (3 with acute kidney injury, 2 with atrial fibrillation, 1 with femoral artery pseudoaneurysm). Twenty patients were treated with medical management, 1 patient underwent coronary artery bypass surgery, and 2 patients underwent aortic valve replacement. Twenty-one patients underwent percutaneous coronary intervention in 27 different vessels. There was procedural success in 93% of these patients. There were no major adverse cardiac events. Five complications occurred after the intervention (4 atrial fibrillations, 1 femoral artery pseudoaneurysm). Cumulative mortalities at 1 month and 6 and 12 months were 0%, 9%, and 20% respectively. In patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention or surgery, mortalities were 0%, 0%, and 13% at 1 month and 6 and 12 months, respectively.