Treatment Risk for Elderly Patients with Unruptured Cerebral Aneurysm from a Nationwide Database in Japan

This study aimed to clarify the risk factors of treatment for unruptured cerebral aneurysms (UCAs) in elderly patients by comparing the morbidity at discharge between surgical clipping and endovascular coiling in nonelderly (<65 years) and elderly (≥65 years) patients based on a national database in Japan.

A total of 36,017, including 15,671 patients with UCA after exclusion of unknown location, were registered in the Diagnosis Procedure Combination, the nationwide database, from 2010 to 2015 in Japan. Outcome of Barthel Index at discharge was investigated and multivariate logistic regression analysis identified risk factors for morbidity of Barthel Index <90 at discharge in nonelderly and elderly patient groups.

Risk factors for morbidity at discharge were basilar artery aneurysm compared with internal carotid artery (ICA), diabetes mellitus (odds ratio [OR], 2.0-2.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.6-3.7), antiplatelet drug, and anticoagulation drug; however, highest hospital volume compared with lowest was an inverse risk factor in both age groups. Endovascular coiling (OR, 0.4; 95% CI, 0.3-0.5) was a significantly inverse risk in the elderly group. Anterior communicating artery aneurysm compared with ICA was a significant risk (OR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.0-2.6) in the nonelderly group; on the other hand, anterior communicating artery aneurysm (OR, 0.7; 95% CI, 0.5-0.95) and middle cerebral artery aneurysm (OR, 0.6; 95% CI, 0.5-0.8) compared with ICA were significantly inverse risks in the elderly group.

Endovascular coiling after control of diabetes mellitus was recommended for the treatment of UCA in elderly patients. The ICA location of aneurysm in the elderly should be paid attention as the treatment risk.