Primary angioplasty vs. fibrinolysis in very old patients with acute myocardial infarction: TRIANA (TRatamiento del Infarto Agudo de miocardio eN Ancianos) randomized trial and pooled analysis with previous studies

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention in octogenarians: real-world data from nationwide Thai PCI registry

OBJECTIVE

Due to the growing ageing population worldwide, more percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) are being performed on elderly patients; however, current national data in Southeast Asian developing countries regarding patient characteristics, procedural details and PCI outcomes in elderly patients are insufficient.

DESIGN

Observational study.

SETTING

Nationwide registry from 39 primary PCI facilities across Thailand.

PARTICIPANTS

Between May 2018 and August 2019, the Thai PCI registry enrolled a total of 22 741 patients who underwent PCI. We examined patient characteristics, PCI technique and in-hospital outcomes in octogenarians (≥80 years) and non-octogenarians (18-79 years).

RESULTS

There were 2099 patients (9.2%) over the age of 80. Octogenarians were at greater risk for atherosclerosis and calcified coronary lesions that required plaque modification and a higher risk of cardiogenic shock during presentation than non-octogenarians. The success rate of PCI in octogenarians was high (95.5%) and comparable to non-octogenarians (96%). The respective PCI failure rate in non-octogenarians and octogenarians was 4% and 4.5% (p=0.251). Octogenarians had a substantially greater incidence of periprocedural problems (5.6% vs 4.5%, p=0.011). PCI was linked with more than threefold increase in in-hospital mortality in octogenarians compared with non-octogenarians (7.67% vs 2.3%, p 0.001). Nonetheless, revascularisation with PCI in octogenarians increased the EQ-5D (European Quality of Life 5 Dimensions) score by 15.7 after PCI and before hospital discharge.

CONCLUSIONS

According to the Thai PCI registry, octogenarians had more complicated coronary anatomy, as well as higher procedural complications and mortality than non-octogenarians. Nonetheless, PCI in the octogenarian had a high success rate and potentially improved the patient's quality of life.

Invasive Strategy With Intended Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Versus Conservative Treatment in Older People With ST-Segment-Elevation Myocardial Infarction: A Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Patients ≥80 years old were underrepresented or excluded from landmark trials demonstrating the superiority of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction. The current meta-analysis assessed the effects of an invasive strategy with intended PCI compared with conservative treatment in older people (≥80 years) with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction.

METHODS

A structured literature search was performed. The primary outcome was overall survival. Secondary outcome analyses included but were not limited to 30-day and 1-year mortality.

RESULTS

Thirteen studies reporting on 102 158 older adults were included. Of these, 31 629 (31%) were assigned to PCI and 70 529 (69%) were treated conservatively. The overall survival was 76.5% in PCI and 67.2% in conservative treatment at the time of longest available follow-up (odds ratio [OR], 2.18 [95% CI, 1.79-2.66], P<0.001, I2=88%, favoring PCI). The follow-up period ranged from 30 days to 26.5 months. The 30-day. (OR, 0.39 [95% CI, 0.31-0.50], P<0.001, I2=0%) and 1-year mortality (OR, 0·34 [95% CI, 0.25-0.46], P<0.001, I2=0%), were lower in the PCI group.

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis indicates a potential underuse of PCI in older adults with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction. PCI was advantageous in short- and long-term survival, but these results were affected by confounding. Nonetheless, every second patient not referred for invasive treatment survived at least 1 year. These findings have hypothesis generating implications, but they indicate ageism and emphasize that PCI should not be automatically withheld in older patients.

Reperfusion strategies on the clinical outcomes of ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients over 80 years old in China

AIMS

This study aims to explore the efficacy of reperfusion strategies on the clinical outcomes of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients over 80 years old in China.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A retrospective cohort study was performed on STEMI patients over 80 years old who underwent reperfusion strategies and no reperfusion between January 2014 and December 2021, based on the Chinese Cardiovascular Association (CCA) Database-Chest Pain Center. This study included a total of 42,699 patients (mean age 84.1 ± 3.6 years, 52.2% male), among whom 19,280 (45.2%) underwent no reperfusion, 20,924 (49.0%) underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and 2495 (5.8%) underwent thrombolytic therapy. After adjusting for potential confounders, multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that patients who underwent primary PCI strategy showed a significantly lower risk of in-hospital mortality [odds ratio (OR) = 0.62, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.57-0.67, P < 0.001] and the composite outcome (OR = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.79-0.87, P < 0.001) compared to those who received no reperfusion. In contrast, patients with thrombolytic therapy exhibited a non-significantly higher risk of in-hospital mortality (OR = 0.99, 95% CI: 0.86-1.14, P = 0.890) and a significantly elevated risk of the composite outcome (OR = 1.15, 95% CI: 1.05-1.27, P = 0.004). During a median follow-up of 6.7 months post-hospital admission, there was a percentage 31.4% of patients died, and patients in the primary PCI group consistently demonstrated a reduced incidence of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.56-0.61, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

STEMI patients over 80 years old who underwent the primary PCI strategy are more likely to have favourable clinical outcomes compared to those who received no reperfusion, whereas thrombolytic therapy warrants careful assessment and monitoring.

Percutaneous coronary intervention versus coronary artery by-pass grafting in premature coronary artery disease: What is the evidence? -A narrative review

Coronary artery disease (CAD) remains one of the leading causes of death globally. In the United States of America, in 2016, 19% of all patients under the age of 65 died of cardiovascular disease despite improvements in primary prevention. The premature clinical onset of symptoms in the young population (<60 years) is much more aggressive than in the older population, and the overall long-term prognosis is poor. CAD appears to have a rapidly progressive form in those under the age of 60 due to genetic predisposition, smoking, and substance abuse, however, the ideal management strategy is still yet to be established. The two primary methods of establishing coronary revascularization are percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). Despite the increasing prevalence of CAD in the young population, they are consistently underrepresented in major randomized clinical trials of each revascularization strategy. Both CABG and PCI are known to have similar survival rates, but PCI is associated with higher repeat revascularization rate. Many argue this may be due to the progressive nature of CAD combined with the vessel patency time required in a patient under 60 with potentially another 20-30 years of life. There is little in literature regarding the outcomes of these various revascularization strategies in populations under 60 years with CAD. This review summarises the current evidence for each revascularisation strategy in patients under the age of 60 and suggests future avenues of research for this unique age group.

Pharmaco-Invasive Strategy With Half-Dose Tenecteplase in Patients With STEMI: Prespecified Pooled Analysis of Patients Aged ≥75 Years in STREAM-1 and 2

BACKGROUND

In STREAM-1 (Strategic Reperfusion Early After Myocardial Infarction), excess intracranial hemorrhage occurred in patients aged ≥75 years receiving full-dose tenecteplase as part of a pharmaco-invasive strategy, whereas no further intracranial hemorrhage occurred after halving the tenecteplase dose. In STREAM-2 (Second Strategic Reperfusion Early After Myocardial Infarction), half-dose tenecteplase was an effective and safe pharmaco-invasive strategy in older patients with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction presenting within <3 hours, compared with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We prespecified evaluating the efficacy and safety of a half-dose versus full-dose pharmaco-invasive strategy and compared the half-dose pharmaco-invasive strategy to primary PCI in patients aged ≥75 years.

METHODS

We pooled data sets in patients aged ≥75 years from STREAM-1 and STREAM-2 receiving a pharmaco-invasive strategy versus primary PCI. Resolution of ST-segment-elevation after fibrinolysis and angiography was assessed, as was the relative risk of the primary composite of 30-day all-cause death, myocardial infarction, heart failure, and shock, along with bleeding.

RESULTS

A total of 390 patients were included: 42 patients were randomized to full-dose pharmaco-invasive treatment, 205 patients to half-dose pharmaco-invasive treatment, and 143 patients to primary PCI. Half-dose versus full-dose pharmaco-invasive treatment resulted in similar proportions of patients achieving ≥50% ST-segment resolution posttenecteplase (63.2% versus 62.6%), with reduced intracranial hemorrhage (7.1% versus 0%, respectively). Half-dose pharmaco-invasive treatment and primary PCI also had similar proportions of patients with ≥50% ST-segment resolution postangiography (77.9% versus 72.4%; P=0.277) and comparable composite end points (23.4% versus 28.0%; relative risk, 0.90 [95% CI, 0.62-1.30]; P=0.567) without occurrence of intracranial hemorrhage.

CONCLUSIONS

Comparable efficacy exists between half- and full-dose tenecteplase pharmaco-invasive treatments with improved safety in patients with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction aged ≥75 years. Half-dose pharmaco-invasive therapy is a legitimate therapeutic option for elderly patients with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction unable to access timely primary PCI.

REGISTRATION

URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT00623623. URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT02777580.

Age-specific associations of invasive treatment with long-term mortality of patients with acute myocardial infarction: Results of a real-world cohort analysis

Background

To investigate the age-specific association between invasive treatment, that is percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) at acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and all-cause long-term mortality.

Methods

The analysis was based on 4964 hospitalized AMI patients (age 25-84 years) registered by the population-based Augsburg Myocardial Infarction Registry between 2010 and 2017. The median follow-up time was 4.7 years (IQR: 2.7; 6.8). All-cause mortality was obtained by regularly checking the vital status of all registered AMI patients in cooperation with the regional population registries. In multivariable adjusted Cox regression analyses the age-specific associations between invasive therapy (PCI or CABG versus no invasive therapy) and all-cause mortality were investigated.

Results

During follow-up 1224 patients (805 men and 419 women) died. In patients younger than 55 years 7.6 %, in the age group 55-64 years 7.1 %, in the age group 65-74 years 12.2 %, and in the age group 75-84 years 21.6 % did not undergo invasive therapy (PCI or CABG) during hospital stay. Invasive therapy using PCI or CABG significantly reduced mortality risk in all age-groups in comparison to AMI patients without invasive treatment. Even 75-84 years old benefited very impressively from invasive therapy regarding long-term all-cause mortality (PCI: HR 0.55; 95 % CI 0.44-0.70; CABG: HR 0.43; 95 % CI 0.30-0.62).

Conclusions

Invasive or surgical therapy procedures in the treatment of AMI patients are effective in all age groups. Therefore, also old AMI patients should receive guideline-compliant therapy to achieve a better outcome.

Management of Acute Coronary Syndrome in Elderly Patients: A Narrative Review through Decisional Crossroads

Diagnosis and treatment of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) pose particular challenges in elderly patients. When high troponin levels are detected, the distinction between non-ischemic myocardial injury (NIMI), type 1, and type 2 myocardial infarction (MI) is the necessary first step to guide further care. However, the assessment of signs of ischemia is hindered in older patients, and no simple clinical or laboratory tool proved useful in this discrimination task. Current evidence suggests a benefit of an invasive vs. conservative approach in terms of recurrence of MI, with no significant impact on mortality. In patients with multivessel disease in which the culprit lesion has been treated, a physiology-guided complete percutaneous revascularization significantly reduced major events. The management of ACS in elderly patients is an example of the actual need for a multimodal, thorough clinical approach, coupled with shared decision-making, in order to ensure the best treatment and avoid futility. Such a need will likely grow throughout the next decades, with the aging of the world population. In this narrative review, we address pivotal yet common questions arising in clinical practice while caring for elderly patients with ACS.

Acute Coronary Syndrome in Elderly Patients: How to Tackle Them?

Elderly patients diagnosed with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) represent a growing demographic population. These patients typically present more comorbidities and experience poorer outcomes compared to younger patients. Furthermore, they are less frequently subjected to revascularization procedures and are less likely to receive evidence-based medications in both the short and long-term periods. Assessing frailty is crucial in elderly patients with ACS because it can influence management decisions, as well as risk stratification and prognosis. Indeed, treatment decisions should consider geriatric syndromes, frailty, polypharmacy, sarcopenia, nutritional deficits, prevalence of comorbidities, thrombotic risk, and, at the same time, an increased risk of bleeding. Rigorous clinical assessments, clear revascularization criteria, and tailored approaches to antithrombotic therapy are essential for guiding personalized treatment decisions in these individuals. Assessing frailty helps healthcare providers identify patients who may benefit from targeted interventions to improve their outcomes and quality of life. Elderly individuals who experience ACS remain significantly underrepresented and understudied in randomized controlled trials. For this reason, the occurrence of ACS in the elderly continues to be a particularly complex issue in clinical practice, and one that clinicians increasingly have to address, given the general ageing of populations. This review aims to address the complex aspects of elderly patients with ACS to help clinicians make therapeutic decisions when faced with such situations.

Management of Acute Coronary Syndromes in Older People: Comprehensive Review and Multidisciplinary Practice-Based Recommendations

Managing health care for older adults aged 75 years and older can pose unique challenges stemming from age-related physiological differences and comorbidities, along with elevated risk of delirium, frailty, disability, and polypharmacy. This review is aimed at providing a comprehensive analysis of the management of acute coronary syndromes (ACS) in older patients, a demographic substantially underrepresented in major clinical trials. Because older patients often exhibit atypical ACS symptoms, a nuanced diagnostic and risk stratification approach is necessary. We aim to address diagnostic challenges for older populations and highlight the diminished sensitivity of traditional symptoms with age, and the importance of biomarkers and imaging techniques tailored for older patients. Additionally, we review the efficacy and safety of pharmacological agents for ACS management in older people, emphasizing the need for a personalized and shared decision-making approach to treatment. This review also explores revascularization strategies, considering the implications of invasive procedures in older people, and weighing the potential benefits against the heightened procedural risks, particularly with surgical revascularization techniques. We explore the perioperative management of older patients experiencing myocardial infarction in the setting of noncardiac surgeries, including preoperative risk stratification and postoperative care considerations. Furthermore, we highlight the critical role of a multidisciplinary approach involving cardiologists, geriatricians, general and internal medicine physicians, primary care physicians, and allied health, to ensure a holistic care pathway in this patient cohort.

The Impact of Geriatric Conditions in Elderly Patients with Coronary Heart Disease: A State-of-the-Art Review

The growing geriatric population presenting with coronary artery disease poses a primary challenge for healthcare services. This is a highly heterogeneous population, often underrepresented in studies and clinical trials, with distinctive characteristics that render them particularly vulnerable to standard management/approaches. In this review, we aim to summarize the available evidence on the treatment of acute coronary syndrome in the elderly. Additionally, we contextualize frailty, comorbidity, sarcopenia, and cognitive impairment, common in these patients, within the realm of coronary artery disease, proposing strategies for each case that may assist in therapeutic approaches.

Beyond MACE: a multidimensional approach to outcomes in clinical trials for older adults with stable ischemic heart disease

The global population of older adults is expanding rapidly resulting in a shift towards managing multiple chronic diseases that coexist and may be exacerbated by cardiovascular illness. Stable ischemic heart disease (SIHD) is a predominant contributor to morbidity and mortality in the older adult population. Although results from clinical trials demonstrate that chronological age is a predictor of poor health outcomes, the current management approach remains suboptimal due to insufficient representation of older adults in randomized trials and the inadequate consideration for the interaction between biological aging, concurrent geriatric syndromes, and patient preferences. A shift towards a more patient-centered approach is necessary for appropriately and effectively managing SIHD in the older adult population. In this review, we aim to demonstrate the distinctive needs of older adults who prioritize holistic health outcomes like functional capacity, cognitive abilities, mental health, and quality of life alongside the prevention of major adverse cardiovascular outcomes reported in cardiovascular clinical trials. An individualized, patient-centered approach that involves shared decision-making regarding outcome prioritization is needed when any treatment strategy is being considered. By prioritizing patients and addressing their unique needs for successful aging, we can provide more effective care to a patient population that exhibits the highest cardiovascular risks.

Prevalence and Impact of Frailty in Patients ≥70 Years Old with Acute Coronary Syndrome Referred for Coronary Angiography

INTRODUCTION

Elderly patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) have a higher risk of adverse cardiovascular events and may be frail but are underrepresented in clinical trials. Previous studies have proposed that frailty assessment is a better tool than chronological age, in assessing older patients' biological age, and may exceed conventional risk scores in predicting the prognosis. Therefore, we wanted to investigate the prevalence and impact on 12-month outcomes of frailty in patients ≥70 years with ACS referred for coronary angiography (CAG).

METHODS

Patients ≥70 years with ACS referred for CAG underwent frailty scoring with the clinical frailty scale (CFS). Patients were divided into three groups depending on their CFS: robust (1-3), vulnerable (4), and frail (5-9) and followed for 12 months.

RESULTS

Of 455 patients, 69 (15%) patients were frail, 79 (17%) were vulnerable, and 307 (68%) were robust. Frail patients were older (frail: 80.9 ± 5.7 years, vulnerable: 78.5 ± 5.5 years, and robust: 76.6 ± 4.9 years, p < 0.001) and less often treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (frail: 56.5%, vulnerable: 53.2%, and robust: 68.6%, p = 0.014). 12-month mortality was higher among frail patients (frail: 24.6%, vulnerable: 21.8%, and robust: 6.2%, p < 0.001). Frailty was associated with a higher mortality after adjustment for age, sex, comorbidities, the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) score, and revascularisation (HR 2.67, 95% CI 1.30-5.50, p = 0.008). There was no difference between GRACE and CFS in predicting 12-month mortality (p = 0.893).

CONCLUSIONS

Fifteen percent of patients ≥70 years old with ACS referred for CAG are frail. Frail patients have significantly higher 12-month mortality. GRACE and CFS are similar in predicting 12-month mortality.

Efficacy and safety of a bolus of half-dose r-SAK prior to primary PCI in ST-elevation myocardial infarction: Rationale and design of the OPTIMA-6 trial

BACKGROUND

Time to reperfusion is the key to the treatment of patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). It is uncertain whether adjunctive thrombolytic therapy combined with contemporary antiplatelet agent ticagrelor improves outcomes as administered prior to primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) expected to be performed within 120 minutes.

METHODS

OPTIMA-6 is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, and superiority trial to evaluate the efficacy of a bolus of half-dose recombinant staphylokinase (r-SAK) vs placebo prior to timely primary PCI in patients with STEMI. Enrollment began in April 2023 and is expected to enroll 2,260 patients at approximately 50 centers. Patients with acute STEMI presenting ≤12 hours of symptom onset and expected to undergo primary PCI within 120 minutes but more than 30 minutes are to be randomized to a bolus of half-dose r-SAK or placebo. All recruited patients will be mandatory to take aspirin and ticagrelor and receive a bolus of loading dose heparin before the thrombolytic therapy. The primary efficacy endpoint is major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) within 90 days, and the MACE is defined as a composite of all-cause death, reinfarction, unplanned target vessel revascularization, heart failure or cardiogenic shock, and major ventricular arrhythmia. The primary safety endpoints are major bleeding events (BARC 3, 5) within 90 days.

CONCLUSIONS

OPTIMA-6 will reveal the efficacy and safety of a contemporary facilitated PCI with a bolus of half-dose r-SAK in combination with ticagrelor in patients with STEMI.

Prognostic Impact of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Older Patients Hospitalized with Acute Myocardial Infarction: Real-World Findings from the Lombardy Health Database

BACKGROUND

Older patients are less likely to receive percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) compared to younger patients. We investigated the prognostic impact of PCI in a large population of patients hospitalized with AMI in the period 2003-2018 by using the administrative Lombardy Health Database (Italy).

METHODS

We considered all patients aged ≥75 years hospitalized with AMI (either STEMI or NSTEMI) from 2003 to 2018 in Lombardy. Patients were grouped according to whether they were treated or not with PCI during the index hospitalization. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. The secondary endpoints were 1-year mortality and 1-year re-hospitalization for acute heart failure (AHF) or AMI.

RESULTS

116,063 patients aged ≥75 years (mean age 83 ± 6; 48% males; 46% STEMI) were hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of AMI. Thirty-seven percent of them (n = 42,912) underwent PCI. The in-hospital mortality rate was significantly lower in PCI-treated patients (6% vs. 15%; p < 0.0001). One-year mortality and 1-year re-hospitalization for AHF/AMI were less frequent in PCI-treated patients (16% vs. 41% and 15% vs. 21%, respectively; p < 0.0001). The adjusted risks of the study endpoints were lower in PCI-treated patients: OR 0.37 (95% CI 0.36-0.39) for in-hospital mortality; HR 0.37 (95% CI 0.36-0.38) for 1-year mortality; HR 0.74 (95% CI 0.71-0.77) for 1-year re-hospitalization for AHF/AMI. Similar results were found in STEMI and NSTEMI patients considered separately.

CONCLUSIONS

Our real-world data showed that in patients with AMI ≥ 75 years of age, PCI use is associated with lower in-hospital and 1-year mortality.

Current concepts in coronary artery revascularisation

Coronary artery revascularisation can be performed surgically or percutaneously. Surgery is associated with higher procedural risk and longer recovery than percutaneous interventions, but with long-term reduction of recurrent cardiac events. For many patients with obstructive coronary artery disease in need of revascularisation, surgical or percutaneous intervention is indicated on the basis of clinical and anatomical reasons or personal preferences. Medical therapy is a crucial accompaniment to coronary revascularisation, and data suggest that, in some subsets of patients, medical therapy alone might achieve similar results to coronary revascularisation. Most revascularisation data are based on prevalently White, non-elderly, male populations in high-income countries; robust data in women, older adults, and racial and other minorities, and from low-income and middle-income countries, are urgently needed.

Antiplatelet Strategies for Older Patients with Acute Coronary Syndromes: Finding Directions in a Low-Evidence Field

Patients ≥ 75 years of age account for about one third of hospitalizations for acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Since the latest European Society of Cardiology guidelines recommend that older ACS patients use the same diagnostic and interventional strategies used by the younger ones, most elderly patients are currently treated invasively. Therefore, an appropriate dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) is indicated as part of the secondary prevention strategy to be implemented in such patients. The choice of the composition and duration of DAPT should be tailored on an individual basis, after careful assessment of the thrombotic and bleeding risk of each patient. Advanced age is a main risk factor for bleeding. Recent data show that in patients of high bleeding risk short DAPT (1 to 3 months) is associated with decreased bleeding complications and similar thrombotic events, as compared to standard 12-month DAPT. Clopidogrel seems the preferable P2Y12 inhibitor, due to a better safety profile than ticagrelor. When the bleeding risk is associated with a high thrombotic risk (a circumstance present in about two thirds of older ACS patients) it is important to tailor the treatment by taking into account the fact that the thrombotic risk is high during the first months after the index event and then wanes gradually over time, whereas the bleeding risk remains constant. Under these circumstances, a de-escalation strategy seems reasonable, starting with DAPT that includes aspirin and low-dose prasugrel (a more potent and reliable P2Y12 inhibitor than clopidogrel) then switching after 2-3 months to DAPT with aspirin and clopidogrel for up to 12 months.

Acute, periprocedural and longterm antithrombotic therapy in older adults: 2022 Update by the ESC Working Group on Thrombosis

The first international guidance on antithrombotic therapy in the elderly came from the European Society of Cardiology Working Group on Thrombosis in 2015. This same group has updated its previous report on antiplatelet and anticoagulant drugs for older patients with acute or chronic coronary syndromes, atrial fibrillation, or undergoing surgery or procedures typical of the elderly (transcatheter aortic valve implantation and left atrial appendage closure). The aim is to provide a succinct but comprehensive tool for readers to understand the bases of antithrombotic therapy in older patients, despite the complexities of comorbidities, comedications and uncertain ischaemic- vs. bleeding-risk balance. Fourteen updated consensus statements integrate recent trial data and other evidence, with a focus on high bleeding risk. Guideline recommendations, when present, are highlighted, as well as gaps in evidence. Key consensus points include efforts to improve medical adherence through deprescribing and polypill use; adoption of universal risk definitions for bleeding, myocardial infarction, stroke and cause-specific death; multiple bleeding-avoidance strategies, ranging from gastroprotection with aspirin use to selection of antithrombotic-drug composition, dosing and duration tailored to multiple variables (setting, history, overall risk, age, weight, renal function, comedications, procedures) that need special consideration when managing older adults.

Management of Acute Coronary Syndrome in the Older Adult Population: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association

Diagnostic and therapeutic advances during the past decades have substantially improved health outcomes for patients with acute coronary syndrome. Both age-related physiological changes and accumulated cardiovascular risk factors increase the susceptibility to acute coronary syndrome over a lifetime. Compared with younger patients, outcomes for acute coronary syndrome in the large and growing demographic of older adults are relatively worse. Increased atherosclerotic plaque burden and complexity of anatomic disease, compounded by age-related cardiovascular and noncardiovascular comorbid conditions, contribute to the worse prognosis observed in older individuals. Geriatric syndromes, including frailty, multimorbidity, impaired cognitive and physical function, polypharmacy, and other complexities of care, can undermine the therapeutic efficacy of guidelines-based treatments and the resiliency of older adults to survive and recover, as well. In this American Heart Association scientific statement, we (1) review age-related physiological changes that predispose to acute coronary syndrome and management complexity; (2) describe the influence of commonly encountered geriatric syndromes on cardiovascular disease outcomes; and (3) recommend age-appropriate and guideline-concordant revascularization and acute coronary syndrome management strategies, including transitions of care, the use of cardiac rehabilitation, palliative care services, and holistic approaches. The primacy of individualized risk assessment and patient-centered care decision-making is highlighted throughout.

Final benefit of primary percutaneous coronary intervention for ST-elevation myocardial infarction in older patients: long-term results of a randomised trial

Background

Although the short-term benefit of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in elderly patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) has been demonstrated, the final long-term survival benefit is as yet unknown.

Aim

To assess the final survival benefit of primary PCI as compared to thrombolytic therapy in patients over 75 years of age.

Methods

Patients > 75 years with STEMI were randomised to either primary PCI or thrombolysis. Long-term data on survival were available for all patients.

Results

A total of 46 patients were randomised to primary PCI, 41 to thrombolysis. There were no significant differences in baseline variables. After a maximum of 20 years’ follow-up, all patients had passed away. The patients randomised to thrombolysis died after a mean follow-up duration of 5.2 years (SD 4.9) compared to 6.7 years (SD 4.8) in patients randomised to primary PCI (p = 0.15). Thus, the mean final survival benefit of primary PCI was 1.5 years.

Conclusion

The final survival benefit of primary PCI as compared to thrombolysis in elderly patients with STEMI is 1.5 years and their life expectancy increases by 28.8%.

Short- and long-term survival after ST-elevation myocardial infarction treated with pharmacoinvasive versus primary percutaneous coronary intervention strategy: a prospective cohort study

Objective

Compare survival in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated with a pharmacoinvasive (PI) or primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) strategy based on estimated time to PCI.

Design

Prospective observational cohort study. Consecutive STEMI patients were registered on admission to our PCI centre and classified in a PI or pPCI group, based on the reperfusion strategy chosen in the prehospital or local hospital location. Time and cause of death was provided by the Norwegian Cause of Death registry. Mortality at 30 days, Kaplan-Meier survival and incidence of cardiovascular (CV) death was estimated. Adjusted effect of PI versus pPCI strategy on survival was estimated using logistic and Cox regression and propensity score weighting.

Setting

Single-centre registry in Norway during 2005–2011, within a regional STEMI network allocating patients to a PI strategy if estimated time to PCI >120 min.

Primary outcomes

30-day mortality and survival during follow-up.

Secondary outcome

Incidence of CV death during follow-up.

Results

4061 STEMI patients <80 years were included, 527 (13%) treated with a PI strategy and 3534 (87%) with a pPCI strategy. Median symptom-to-needle time was 110 min (25–75th percentile 75–163) in the PI group vs symptom-to-balloon 230 min (149–435) in the pPCI group. 30-day mortality was 3.2% and 5.0% in the PI and pPCI groups (OR_adjusted0.58 (95% CI 0.30 to 1.13)) and 8-year survival was 85.9% (95% CI 80.9% to 89.6%) and 79.3% (95% CI 76.9% to 81.6%), respectively (HR_adjusted 0.72 (95% CI 0.53 to 0.99)). Unadjusted incidence of 8-year CV death was 7.0% (95% CI 4.4% to 10.4%) in the PI group vs 12.4% (95% CI 9.9% to 15.2%) in the pPCI group. Adjusted long-term CV death was also lower in the PI group.

Conclusion

STEMI patients treated with a PI strategy experienced better survival compared with a pPCI strategy, also when adjusting for baseline characteristics. This supports using a PI strategy for eligible STEMI patients when pPCI cannot be performed within 120 min.

Coronary Artery Aneurysms in ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (From a United States Based National Cohort)

This study aimed to study group differences in patients presenting with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) based on the presence or absence of associated coronary artery aneurysms (CAA). The cause-and-effect relationship between CAAs and STEMI is largely unknown. The Nationwide Readmission database was used to identify and study group differences of patients with STEMI and with and without CAA from 2014 to 2018. The primary outcome in the 2 groups was mortality. Secondary outcomes in the 2 groups included differences in clinical outcomes, cardiovascular interventions performed, and prevalence of coronary artery dissection. The total number of patients with STEMI included was 1,038,299. In this sample, 1,543 (0.15%) had CAA. Compared with those without CAA, patients with CAAs and STEMI were younger (62.6 vs 65.4), more likely to be male (78 vs 66%), and had a higher prevalence of a history of Kawasaki disease (2.5 vs 0.01%). A difference exists in the prevalence of coronary dissection in patients with STEMI with and without CAA (73% vs 1%). Patients with CAA were more often treated with coronary artery bypass grafting (13.1 vs 5.6%), thrombectomy (16.5 vs 6%), and bare-metal stent implantation (8 vs 4.4). Patients in the CAA STEMI group had lower all-cause mortality (6.3 vs 11.7%). In conclusion, there are important differences in patients with STEMI with and without CAA, which include, but are not limited to, factors such as patient profile, the risk for coronary dissection, treatment, outcomes, and mortality.

Impact of myocardial revascularization on long-term outcomes in a nationwide cohort of first acute myocardial infarction survivors

The long-term clinical benefits of myocardial revascularization in a contemporary, nationwide cohort of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) survivors are unclear. We aimed to compare the mortality rates and clinical outcomes at 8 years of patients admitted in Italy for a first AMI managed with or without myocardial revascularization during the index event. This is a national retrospective cohort study that enrolled patients admitted for a first AMI in 2012 in all Italian hospitals who survived at 30 days. The outcomes of interest were all-cause mortality, major cardio-cerebrovascular events (MACCE), and re-hospitalization for heart failure (HF) at 8 years. Time to events was analysed using a Cox and Fine and Gray multivariate regression model. A total of 127 431 patients with AMI were admitted to Italian hospitals in 2012. The study cohort consisted of 62 336 AMI events, of whom 63.8% underwent percutaneous or surgical revascularization ≤30 days of the index hospital admission. At 8 years, the cumulative incidence of all-cause death was 36.5% (24.6% in revascularized and 57.6% in not revascularized patients). After multiple corrections, the hazard ratio (HR) for all-cause mortality in revascularized vs. not revascularized patients was 0.61 (P < 0.0001). The rate of MACCE was 45.7% and 65.8% (adjusted HR 0.83; P < 0.0001), while re-hospitalizations for HF occurred in 17.6% and 29.8% (adjusted HR 0.97; P = 0.16) in AMI survivors revascularized and not revascularized, respectively. In our contemporary nationwide cohort of patients at their first AMI episode, those who underwent myocardial revascularization within 1 month from the index event compared to those not revascularized presented an adjusted 39% risk reduction in all-cause mortality and 17% in MACCE at 8-year follow-up.

Percutaneous coronary intervention in octogenarians: 10-year experience from a primary percutaneous coronary intervention centre with off-site cardiothoracic support

OBJECTIVE

To examine the trends in patient characteristics and clinical outcomes over a ten-year period and to analyse the predictors of mortality in octogenarians undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in our centre.

METHODS

A total of 782 consecutive octogenarians (aged 80 and above) were identified from a prospectively collected PCI database within our non-surgical, medium volume centre between 1st January 2007 and 31st December 2016. This represented 10.9% of all PCI procedures performed in our centre during this period. We evaluated the demographic and procedural characteristics of the cohort with respect to clinical outcomes (all-cause in-hospital and 1-year mortality, in-hospital complication rates, duration of hospital admission, coronary disease angiographic complexity and major co-morbidities). The cohort was further stratified into three chronological tertiles (January 2007 to July 2012, 261 cases; August 2012 to May 2015, 261 cases; June 2015 to December 2016, 260 cases) to assess for differences over time. Predictors of mortality were identified through a multivariate regression analysis.

RESULTS

The number of octogenarians undergoing PCI increased nearly ten-fold over the studied period. Despite this, there were no significant differences in clinical outcomes or patient characteristics, except for the increased use of trans-radial vascular access [11.9% in first tertile vs. 73.2% in third tertile (P < 0.0001)]. The all-cause in-hospital (5.8% vs. 4.6% vs. 3.8%, P = 0.578) and 1-year mortality (12.4% vs. 12.5% vs. 14.4%, P = 0.746) remained constant in all three tertiles respectively. Six independent predictors of mortality were identified - increasing age [HR = 1.12 (1.03−1.22), P = 0.008], cardiogenic shock [HR = 16.40 (4.04–66.65), P < 0.0001], severe left ventricular impairment [HR = 3.52 (1.69−7.33), P = 0.001], peripheral vascular disease [HR = 2.73 (1.22−6.13), P = 0.015], diabetes [HR = 2.59 (1.30−5.17), P = 0.007] and low creatinine clearance [HR = 0.98 (0.96−1.00), P = 0.031].

CONCLUSION

This contemporary observational study provides a useful insight into the real-world practice of PCI in octogenarians.

Management of acute coronary syndromes in older adults

Older patients are underrepresented in prospective studies and randomized clinical trials of acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Over the last decade, a few specific trials have been conducted in this population, allowing more evidence-based management. Older adults are a heterogeneous, complex, and high-risk group whose management requires a multidimensional clinical approach beyond coronary anatomic variables. This review focuses on available data informing evidence-based interventional and pharmacological approaches for older adults with ACS, including guideline-directed management. Overall, an invasive approach appears to demonstrate a better benefit-risk ratio compared to a conservative one across the ACS spectrum, even considering patients' clinical complexity and multiple comorbidities. Conversely, more powerful strategies of antithrombotic therapy for secondary prevention have been associated with increased bleeding events and no benefit in terms of mortality reduction. An interdisciplinary evaluation with geriatric assessment should always be considered to achieve a holistic approach and optimize any treatment on the basis of the underlying biological vulnerability.

Primary percutaneous coronary intervention in patients aged 85 years or older: a retrospective analysis of outcomes

BACKGROUND

Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) is the first-line treatment for acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Evidence of benefit from PPCI in the elderly is sparse. Our aim was to evaluate survival outcomes in patients aged ≥85 years who undergo PPCI for STEMI.

METHODS

Clinical data were collected retrospectively on all patients aged ≥85 years who were referred and accepted for PPCI to our centre between 2013 and 2018.

RESULTS

One hundred and forty-three patients received PPCI. Median hospital stay was seven days. One hundred and thirty-one patients survived admission. One-year mortality was 33.5%. Age and baseline renal function were independent predictors of one-year mortality. Median survival was 2.55 years.

CONCLUSION

Advanced age alone should not be used as an exclusion criterion for PPCI; rather, a personalised approach that takes into account all clinically relevant patient factors should guide PCI decision-making. Our findings suggest that PPCI as first-line treatment for STEMI in the very old should be considered routinely.

Outcomes of Nonagenarians With Acute Coronary Syndrome

OBJECTIVES

Nonagenarians are a fast-growing age group among cardiovascular patients, but data about their management and prognosis after an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is scarce. This study aimed to analyze characteristics of nonagenarian patients with ACS and to compare in-hospital and 1-year clinical outcomes between those treated with medical treatment (MT) alone and those receiving percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

DESIGN

Multicenter observational study.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

We included consecutive nonagenarian patients with ACS admitted at 4 academic centers between 2005 and 2018. Only patients with type 1 myocardial infarction were included.

METHODS

Standardized definitions of all patient-related variables, clinical diagnoses, and hospital complications and outcomes were used. The primary endpoint was 1-year all-cause mortality. Long-term survival was compared between patients undergoing PCI and those managed with MT alone. Given differences in baseline characteristics could substantially interfere in outcomes, 3 sensitivity analyses were performed to adjust for confounders.

RESULTS

A total of 680 nonagenarians were included (59% females). Of them, 373 (55%) patients presented with non-ST-segment elevation ACS (NSTE-ACS) and 307 (45%) with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). A coronary angiogram was performed in 115 (31%) of NSTE-ACS and in 182 (60%) of STEMI patients with subsequent PCI in 81 (22%) and 156 (51%), respectively. Overall mortality rates were 17% in-hospital and 39% at 1-year follow-up. PCI was independently associated with a decreased risk of 1-year all-cause death [hazard ratio (HR) 0.57, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.35, 0.95; P < .05], mainly observed in those patients without disability (HR 0.59, 95% CI 0.37, 0.94; P < .01) and lower Killip class (HR 0.50, 95% CI 0.28, 0.89; P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

The prognosis of nonagenarians after an ACS was associated with comorbidities and the therapeutic approach. Although PCI appeared to be a safe and effective strategy, it is still necessary to refine the decision-making process in this high-risk population group.

Elderly Suffering from ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction-Results from a Database Analysis from Two Mediterranean Medical Centers

Background: Little is known regarding primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in the elderly. Methods: Data on 319 octogenarians, 641 septuagenarians, and 2451 younger patients was collected from an ongoing prospective registry of patients treated with pPCI for STEMI at two Mediterranean-area medical centers in 2009–2017. Results: More octogenarian patients were female (40.8 vs. 31.9 septuagenarians and 26.5% under 70 y, p < 0.01), had hypertension (79.5 vs. 69.5 and 45.9%, p < 0.01), renal failure (32.5 vs. 20.1 and 5.2%, p < 0.01), and a lower left-ventricular ejection fraction (42.0 vs. 44.9 and 47.6%, p = 0.012). At 1 month and 3 years after intervention, mortality was higher in the octogenarian patients (12.2 vs. 7.9%, p = 0.01; and 36.7 vs. 23.1%, p < 0.01, respectively), with no significant differences in the rates of recurrent myocardial infarction, target vessel revascularization, coronary artery bypass surgery, and cardiovascular death. Following adjustment for confounders, 3-year mortality was significantly higher in the octogenarians (HR 3.89 vs. 3.19 for septuagenarians, p < 0.01), but rates of major adverse cardiac events or cardiovascular death were not. Conclusions: Despite suffering from higher all-cause mortality, octogenarian patients treated with pPCI for STEMI do not suffer an increased risk of ischemic cardiac events relative to younger patients.

Safety measures for COVID-19 do not compromise the outcomes of patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention: a single center retrospective study

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global pandemic impacting nearly 170 countries/regions and millions of patients worldwide. Patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) still need to be treated at percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) centers with relevant safety measures. This retrospective study was conducted to assess the therapeutic outcomes of PCI performed under the safety measures and normal conditions. AMI patients undergoing PCI between January 24 to April 30, 2020 were performed under safety measures for COVID-19. Patients received pulmonary computed tomography (CT) and underwent PCI in negative pressure ICU. Cardiac catheterization laboratory (CCL) staff and physicians worked with level III personal protection. Demographic and clinical data, such as door-to-balloon (DTB) time, operation time, complications for patients in this period (COVID-19 group) and the same period in 2019 (2019 group) were retrieved and analyzed. COVID-19 and 2019 groups had 37 and 96 patients, respectively. There was no significant difference in age, gender, BMI and comorbidity between the two groups. DTB time and operation time were similar between the two groups (60.0 ± 12.39 vs 58.83 ± 12.85 min, p = 0.636; 61.46 ± 9.91 vs 62.55 ± 10.72 min, p = 0.592). Hospital stay time in COVID-19 group was significantly shorter (6.78 ± 2.14 vs 8.85 ± 2.64 days, p < 0.001). The incidences of malignant arrhythmia and Takotsubo Syndrome in COVID-19 group were higher than 2019 group significantly (16.22% vs 5.21%, p = 0.039; 10.81% vs 1.04% p = 0.008). During hospitalization and 3-month follow-up, the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events and mortality in the two groups were statistically similar (35.13% vs 14.58%, p = 0.094; 16.22% vs 8.33%, p = 0.184). The risk of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) was associated with cardiogenic shock (OR, 11.53; 95% CI, 2.888-46.036; p = 0.001), malignant arrhythmias (OR, 7.176; 95% CI, 1.893-27.203; p = 0.004) and advanced age (≥ 75 years) (OR, 6.718; 95% CI, 1.738-25.964; p = 0.006). Cardiogenic shock (OR, 17.663; 95% CI, 5.5-56.762; p < 0.001) and malignant arrhythmias (OR, 4.659; 95% CI, 1.481-14.653; p = 0.008) were also associated with death of 3 months. Our analysis showed that safety measures undertaken in this hospital, including screening of COVID-19 infection and use of personal protection equipment for conducting PCI did not compromise the surgical outcome as compared with PCI under normal condition, although there were slight increases in incidence of malignant arrhythmia and Takotsubo Syndrome.

[The elderly patient with acute coronary syndrome]

The elderly patient with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is often not treated on an evidence based basis due to age, previous illnesses and also an increased risk of bleeding. This applies to both drug and interventional therapy. However, valid data clearly show that elderly patients in particular benefit from guideline-adherent therapy, especially interventional revascularisation.

Effectiveness and safety of antithrombotic strategies in elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction

BACKGROUND

Elderly patients represent a rapidly growing part of the population more susceptible to acute coronary syndromes and their complications. However, literature evidence is lacking in this clinical setting.

AIM

To describe the clinical features, in-hospital management and outcomes of “elderly” patients with myocardial infarction treated with antiplatelet and/or anticoagulation therapy.

METHODS

This study was a retrospective analysis of all consecutive patients older than 80 years admitted to the Division of Cardiology of St. Andrea Hospital of Vercelli from January 2018 to December 2018 due to ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) or non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). Clinical and laboratory data were collected for each patient, as well as the prevalence of previous or in-hospital atrial fibrillation (AF). In-hospital management, consisting of an invasive or conservative strategy, and the anti-thrombotic therapy used are described. Outcomes evaluated at 1 year follow-up included an efficacy ischemic endpoint and a safety bleeding endpoint.

RESULTS

Of the 105 patients enrolled (mean age 83.9 ± 3.6 years, 52.3% males), 68 (64.8%) were admitted due to NSTEMI and 37 (35.2%) due to STEMI. Among the STEMI patients, 34 (91.9%) underwent coronary angiography and all of them were treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI); among the NSTEMI patients, 42 (61.8%) were assigned to an invasive strategy and 16 (38.1%) of them underwent a PCI. No significant difference between the groups was found concerning the prevalence of previous or in-hospital de-novo AF. 10.5% of the whole population received triple antithrombotic therapy and 9.5% single antiplatelet therapy plus oral anticoagulation (OAC), with no significant difference between the subgroups, although a higher number of STEMI patients received dual antiplatelet therapy without OAC as compared with NSTEMI patients. A low rate of in-hospital death (5.7%) and 1-year cardiovascular death (3.3%) was registered. Seven (7.8%) patients experienced major adverse cardiovascular events, while the rate of minor and major bleeding at 1-year follow-up was 10% and 2.2%, respectively, with no difference between NSTEMI and STEMI patients.

CONCLUSION

In this real-world study, a tailored evaluation of an invasive strategy and antithrombotic therapy resulted in a low rate of adverse events in elderly patients hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction.

Myocardial Infarction in Centenarians. Data from The Polish Registry of Acute Coronary Syndromes

BACKGROUND

There are no data regarding the mortality rate, risks and benefits of particular reperfusion methods and pharmacological treatment complications in patients aged over 100 years with acute coronary syndromes. We sought to assess the treatment of myocardial infarction (MI) in patients older than 100 years and to determine prognostic factors for this group.

METHODS

Among the 716,566 patients recorded between 2003 and 2018 in the Polish Registry of Acute Coronary Syndromes, 104 patients aged ≥100 with MI were included. The patients were categorized into two groups: group 1 received conservative treatment (64 patients), and group 2 received invasive strategy (40 patients).

RESULTS

The frequencies of in-hospital mortality, MI and stroke were similar in both arms. No difference in the frequency of the combined endpoint (death, reinfarction, stroke) was noted. Invasive treatment was more advantageous for 12-month outcomes; 50 patients in group 1 (79%) and 23 patients in group 2 (57.50%) died (p = 0.017). The multivariate analysis identified the lower left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) (Hazard Ratio (HR) = 0.96; 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.94-0.99; p = 0.012), lack of coronary angiography (HR = 0.49; 95% CI: 0.24-0.99; p = 0.048) and cardiac arrest (HR = 4.61; 95% CI: 1.64-12.99; p = 0.0038) as predictors of 12-month mortality in this group.

CONCLUSIONS

Invasive MI treatment may be beneficial for selected very old patients.

Efficacy and safety of bivalirudin application during primary percutaneous coronary intervention in older patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction

Objective

ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is the most serious type of acute coronary syndrome. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of bivalirudin application during primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) in older patients with acute STEMI.

Methods

A total of 672 older patients with STEMI (>75 years) who underwent PPCI were studied. The primary endpoints were 30-day net adverse clinical events (NACEs) post-emergency percutaneous coronary intervention, including major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs) and Bleeding Academic Research Consortium grades 2 to 5 (BARC 2–5) bleeding events.

Results

The incidence of NACEs and BARC 2–5 bleeding events in the bivalirudin group was significantly lower than that in the unfractionated heparin group. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that bivalirudin significantly reduced 30-day NACEs (odds ratio: 0.700, 95% confidence interval: 0.492–0.995) and BARC 2–5 bleeding events (odds ratio: 0.561, 95% confidence interval: 0.343–0.918). At 1-year follow-up, these results were similar.

Conclusions

Bivalirudin can be safely and effectively used during PPCI in older patients with STEMI. Bivalirudin reduces the risks of NACEs and bleeding within 30 days after PPCI, without increasing the risks of MACCEs and stent thrombosis compared with heparin.

Age- and Weight-Adapted Dose of Prasugrel Versus Standard Dose of Ticagrelor in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndromes : Results From a Randomized Trial

BACKGROUND

The efficacy and safety of a reduced dose of prasugrel versus a standard dose of ticagrelor in elderly patients or those with a low body weight presenting with an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) are unknown.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of an age- and weight-adapted dose of prasugrel versus a standard dose of ticagrelor in patients with ACS. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01944800).

DESIGN

Prespecified analysis of the multicenter, randomized ISAR-REACT 5 trial.

SETTING

23 centers in Germany and Italy.

PATIENTS

3997 patients with ACS planned for invasive management.

INTERVENTION

Participants were randomly assigned to receive a standard dose of ticagrelor or prasugrel (reduced dose in the elderly or low-weight group and standard dose in the neither elderly nor low-weight group).

MEASUREMENTS

The efficacy end point was a composite of death, myocardial infarction, or stroke, and the safety end point was bleeding, both at 12 months.

RESULTS

In the elderly or low-weight group, the efficacy end point occurred in 12.7% of patients assigned to receive prasugrel and 14.6% of those assigned to receive ticagrelor (hazard ratio [HR], 0.82 [95% CI, 0.60 to 1.14]); in the neither elderly nor low-weight group, the efficacy end point occurred in 4.8% of patients assigned to receive prasugrel and 7.3% of those assigned to receive ticagrelor (HR, 0.65 [CI, 0.48 to 0.88]; P for interaction > 0.2). In the elderly or low-weight group, Bleeding Academic Research Consortium type 3 to 5 bleeding occurred in 8.1% of patients assigned to receive prasugrel and 10.6% of those assigned to receive ticagrelor (HR, 0.72 [0.46 to 1.12]), and in 3.7% and 3.8%, respectively, of patients in the neither elderly nor low-weight group (HR, 0.98 [CI, 0.65 to 1.47]; P for interaction > 0.2).

LIMITATION

The study is a subgroup analysis.

CONCLUSION

In elderly or low-weight patients with ACS, a reduced dose of prasugrel compared with the standard dose of ticagrelor is associated with maintained anti-ischemic efficacy while protecting these patients against the excess risk for bleeding.

PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE

German Center for Cardiovascular Research and Deutsches Herzzentrum München.

Benefit of primary percutaneous coronary interventions in the elderly with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction

Objective

Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (P-PCI) has demonstrated its efficacy in patients with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). However, patients with STEMI ≥75 years receive less P-PCI than younger patients despite their higher in-hospital morbimortality. The objective of this analysis was to determine the effectiveness of P-PCI in patients with STEMI ≥75 years.

Methods

We included 979 patients with STEMI ≥75 years, from the ATención HOspitalaria del Síndrome coronario study, a registry of 8142 consecutive patients with acute coronary syndrome admitted at 31 Spanish hospitals in 2014–2016. We calculated a propensity score (PS) for the indication of P-PCI. Patients that received or not P-PCI were matched by PS. Using logistic regression, we compared the effectiveness of performing P-PCI versus non-performance for the composite primary event, which included death, reinfarction, acute pulmonary oedema or cardiogenic shock during hospitalisation.

Results

Of the included patients, 81.5 % received P-PCI. The matching provided two groups of 169 patients with and without P-PCI. Compared with its non-performance, P-PCI presented a composite event OR adjusted by PS of 0.55 (95% CI 0.34 to 0.89).

Conclusions

Receiving a P-PCI was significantly associated with a reduced risk of major intrahospital complications in patients with STEMI aged 75 years or older.

Comparison of Reperfusion Strategies for ST-Segment-Elevation Myocardial Infarction: A Multivariate Network Meta-analysis

Background We systematically reviewed trials comparing different reperfusion strategies for ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction and used multivariate network meta-analysis to compare outcomes across these strategies. Methods and Results We identified 31 contemporary trials in which patients with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction were randomized to ≥2 of the following strategies: fibrinolytic therapy (n=4212), primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) (n=6139), or fibrinolysis followed by routine early PCI (n=5006). We categorized the last approach as "facilitated PCI" when the median time interval between fibrinolysis to PCI was <2 hours (n=2259) and as a "pharmacoinvasive approach" when this interval was ≥2 hours (n=2747). We evaluated outcomes of death, nonfatal reinfarction, stroke, and major bleeding using a multivariate network meta-analysis and a Bayesian analysis. Among the strategies evaluated, primary PCI was associated with the lowest risk of mortality, nonfatal reinfarction, and stroke. For mortality, primary PCI had an odds ratio of 0.73 (95% CI, 0.61-0.89) when compared with fibrinolytic therapy. Of the remaining strategies, the pharmacoinvasive approach was the next most favorable with an odds ratio for death of 0.79 (95% CI, 0.59-1.08) compared with fibrinolytic therapy. The Bayesian model indicated that when the 2 strategies examining routine early invasive therapy following fibrinolysis were directly compared, the probability of adverse outcomes was lower for the pharmacoinvasive approach relative to facilitated PCI. Conclusions A pharmacoinvasive approach is safer and more effective than facilitated PCI and fibrinolytic therapy alone. This has significant implications for ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction care in settings where timely access to primary PCI, the preferred treatment for ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction, is not available.

Challenges and Controversies in the Management of ACS in Elderly Patients

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Elderly patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) represent a challenging patient population. A high index of suspicion is needed for their diagnosis, as they are less likely to present with typical anginal symptoms compared to their younger counterparts.

RECENT FINDINGS

Disrupted coronary plaques with superimposed thrombosis are the predominant pathophysiology of ACS; however, an increased proportion of calcified nodules is encountered in elderly patients. Emergent reperfusion and revascularization remain the mainstay treatment for ST-elevation myocardial infarction or cardiogenic shock. In elderly patients with NSTE-ACS, a routine invasive strategy is generally superior to an ischemia-guided strategy, and the safety of an early invasive strategy has also been recently demonstrated. When treating elderly ACS patients with antiplatelet and antithrombotic therapies, close attention to co-morbidities, frailty and the balance of ischemia-bleeding risk should be undertaken, and medication doses should be carefully adjusted. Overall, elderly patients with ACS remain undertreated with evidence-based therapies, experience worse outcomes, and represent an opportunity for enhancing and mitigating healthcare disparities.

Percutaneous coronary intervention of unprotected left main and bifurcation in octogenarians: Subanalysis from RAIN (veRy thin stents for patients with left mAIn or bifurcatioN in real life)

OBJECTIVE

Outcomes of complex percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs) in older patients are still debated. The aim of the study was to evaluate clinical outcomes of Octogenarian patients treated with ultrathinstents on left main or on coronary bifurcations, compared with younger patients.

METHODS

All consecutive patients presenting a critical lesion of an unprotected left main (ULM) or a bifurcation and treated with very thin stents were included in the RAIN (veRy thin stents for patients with left mAIn or bifurcatioN in real life) registry and divided into octogenarians group (OG, 551 patients) and nonoctogenarians (NOGs, 2,453 patients). Major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE), a composite end point of all-cause death, nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI), target lesion revascularization (TLR), and stent thrombosis (ST), was the primary endpoint, while MACE components, cardiovascular (CV) death, and target vessel revascularization (TVR) were the secondary ones.

RESULTS

Indication for PCI was acute coronary syndrome in 64.7% of the OG versus 53.1% of the NOG. Severe calcifications and a diffuse disease were significantly more in OG. After a follow-up of 15.2 ± 10.3 months, MACEs were higher in the OG than in the NOG patients (OG 19.1% vs. NOG 11.2%, p < .001), along with MI (OG 6% vs. NOG 3.4%, p = .002) and all-cause death (OG 14% vs. NOG 4.3%, p < .001). In contrast, no significant difference was detected in CV-death (OG 5.1% vs. NOG 4%, p = .871), TVR/TLR, or ST. At multivariate analysis, age was not an independent predictor of MACE (OR 1.02 CI 95% 0.76-1.38), while it was for all-cause death, along with diabetes, GFR < 60 ml/min, and ULM disease.

DISCUSSION

Midterm outcomes of complex PCI in OG are similar to those of younger patients. However, due to the higher non-CV death rate, accurate patient selection is mandatory.

Pharmacoinvasive Strategy Versus Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction in Patients ≥70 Years of Age

The benefit-risk ratio of a pharmacoinvasive strategy (PI) in patients ≥70 years of age with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) remains uncertain resulting in its limited use in this population. This study compared efficacy and safety of PI with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI). Data from 2,841 patients (mean age: 78.1 ± 5.6 years, female: 36.1%) included in a prospective multicenter registry, and who underwent either PI (n = 269) or pPCI (n = 2,572), were analyzed. The primary end point was in-hospital major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) defined as the composite of all-cause mortality, nonfatal MI, stroke, and definite stent thrombosis. Secondary end points included all-cause death, major bleeding, net adverse clinical events, and the development of in-hospital Killip class III or IV heart failure. Propensity-score matching and conditional logistic regression were used to adjust for confounders. Within the matched cohort, rates of MACE was not statistically different between the PI (n = 247) and pPCI (n = 958) groups, (11.3% vs 9.0%, respectively, odds ratio 1.25, 95% confidence interval 0.81 to 1.94; p = 0.31). Secondary end points were comparable between groups at the exception of a lower rate of development of Killip class III or IV heart failure after PI. The rate of intracranial hemorrhage was significantly higher in the PI group (2.3% vs 0.0%, p = 0.03). In conclusion, the present study demonstrated no difference regarding in-hospital MACE following PI or pPCI in STEMI patients ≥70 years of age. An adequately-powered randomized trial is needed to precisely define the role of PI in this high-risk subgroup.

Long-Term Survival after Invasive or Conservative Strategy in Elderly Patients with non-ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction: A Prospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

The optimal management of elderly patients with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) is still discussed. We aimed to study short- and long-term survival in NSTEMI patients ≥75 years managed with an invasive or a conservative strategy.

METHODS

NSTEMI patients admitted to Oslo University Hospital Ulleval during 2005-2011 were included consecutively in a prospective registry. Vital status until December 31, 2013, was obtained from the Norwegian Cause of Death Registry. Patients ≥75 years were identified, and 30-day and 7-year survival were analyzed. Logistic- and Cox regression was used to estimate OR and hazard ratio (HR) for death in the invasive versus conservative group, adjusting for registered confounders.

RESULTS

There were 2,064 NSTEMI patients ≥75 years (48.2% women); 1,200 (58.1%) were treated with an invasive strategy, and were younger, more likely to be male and previously revascularized compared to 864 (41.9%) patients treated conservatively (p < 0.0001 for all). Survival at 30-day was 94.9% in the invasive and 76.6% in the conservative group. For 30-day survivors, 7-year survival was 47.4% (95% CI 42.9-51.8) and 11.6% (95% CI 8.3-15.6), respectively. After multivariate adjustment, an invasive strategy was associated with lower long-term risk (adjusted HR [aHR] 0.49 [95% CI 0.41-0.59]). Actual revascularization was associated with lower risk of long-term mortality compared to angiography only (aHRPCI 0.73 [95% CI 0.59-0.90], aHRCABG 0.43 [95% CI 0.28-0.65]).

CONCLUSION

In this real-life cohort of NSTEMI patients ≥75 years, 30-day survival was 95%, and 7-year survival was 47% with an invasive strategy. Revascularized patients had a superior long-term prognosis. With a conservative strategy, short- and long-term survival was lower, probably due to selection bias and unmeasured confounding.

Comparison of effects of thrombolytic therapy and primary percutaneous coronary intervention in elderly patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction on in-hospital, six-month, and one-year mortality

Introduction

This study aims to evaluate the effect of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and thrombolytic therapy (TT) on the in-hospital adverse events, in-hospital and long-term mortality in patients over 65 years of age with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Material and methods

A total of 111 retrospectively screened patients (73 males, mean age: 73.4 ±5.9 years) over 65 years of age with STEMI, who underwent TT or primary PCI, were included in the study. Patients' characteristics, in-hospital outcomes, and 6-month and 1-year mortalities were recorded.

Results

Our study was conducted with 111 patients over 65 years of age with STEMI (73 males, 38 females). Of the patients, 66 (59.5%) were treated with thrombolytics, and 45 (40.5%) patients underwent primary PCI. Door-to-needle time was 25.9 ±7.8 min in the TT group, whereas door-to-balloon time was 84.4 ±20.0 min in the PCI group. Time from symptom onset to hospital admission was 213.6 ±158.4 min in the thrombolytic group, and 166.8 ±112.8 min in the PCI group. Rescue PCI was performed in 7 (10.6%) patients in the TT group due to lack of reperfusion. Recurrent infarction was observed in 5 (7.6%) patients in the TT group and in 2 (4.4%) patients in the PCI group. Non-haemorrhagic stroke was observed in 1 (1.5%) patient in the thrombolytic-administered group and in 4 (8.9%) patients in the PCI group. No intracranial haemorrhage was observed in any patient. Major haemorrhage was observed in 4 (6.1%) patients in the TT group and in 4 (8.9%) patients in the PCI group. Six-month and 1-year mortalities were present in 15 (22.7%) patients and 19 patients in thrombolytic group, and 8 (17.8%) and 8 (17.8%) patients in the PCI group, respectively. Binary logistic regression analysis indicated that the patient's age was the only predictor for 1-year mortality (odds ratio (OR) = 1.1, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.019-1.188, p = 0.015).

Conclusions

Considering the in-hospital adverse outcomes, in-hospital mortality, and 6-month mortality rates, TT and primary PCI have similar effects in STEMI patients aged 65 years and over according to the results of our study. Although 1-year mortality was higher in the TT group, it was not statistically significant.

Outcomes after STEMI in old multimorbid patients with complex health needs and the effect of invasive management

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to assess one-year outcomes of invasive and non-invasive strategies in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) among multimorbid older people with complex health needs.

METHODS

We included patients, registered between 2006 and 2013 in the SWEDEHEART registry, who were 70 years old or older with STEMI, had multimorbidity and complex health needs and were discharged alive. The one-year outcomes of patients who underwent invasive strategy (examined with coronary angiography ≤14 days) were compared to those who did not. The primary event was a composite of all-cause death, admission due to new acute coronary syndrome, stroke or transient ischemic attack.

RESULTS

We identified patients, and 1089 were managed invasively and 570 non-invasively. The mean age was 79 years and 83 years in the 2 groups, respectively. After multivariable adjustment for baseline differences between the groups, including propensity scores, the primary event occurred in 31% of patients in the invasive group and 55% in the non-invasive group, adjusted hazard ratio (95% confidence intervals): 0.67 (0.54-0.83). One-year mortality was 18% in the invasive group and 45% in the non-invasive group, adjusted hazard ratio 0.51 (0.39-0.65).

CONCLUSIONS

Multimorbid older people with complex health needs and STEMI had high rates of new ischemic events and death. In this cohort of older, high risk STEMI patients, an invasive strategy was associated with lower event rates. Randomized studies are needed to clarify whether these high risk patients who might benefit from invasive care are being managed too conservatively.