Factors associated with the use of percutaneous coronary intervention in elderly Chinese patients with a first ST elevated acute myocardial infarction

Identifying patients with refusal of percutaneous coronary intervention for acute myocardial infarction: a classification and regression tree analysis

The purpose of the present study is to develop and validate a prediction tool to identify patients who refuse to receive percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rapidly. We developed a risk stratification model using the derivation cohort of 288 patients with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in our hospital and validated it in a prospective cohort of 115 patients. There were 52 (18.1%) patients and 18 (15.7%) patients who refused PCI among derivation and validation cohort, respectively. A classification and regression tree (CART) analysis and multivariate logistic regression were used for statistical analysis. The decision-making factors for refusal of PCI were also investigated. The CART analysis and logistic regression both showed that self-rated mild symptom was the most significant predictor of not choosing PCI. The model generated three risk groups. The high-risk group included: self-rated mild symptoms; self-rated severe symptom, glomerular filtration rate < 60 ml/min/1.73m². The intermediate-risk group included: self-rated severe symptom, glomerular filtration rate ≥ 60 ml/min/1.73m² and age ≥ 75 years. The low-risk group included: self-rated severe symptom, glomerular filtration rate ≥ 60 ml/min/1.73m² and age < 75 years. The prevalence for refusal of PCI of the three groups were 45%-44%, 18% and 4%, respectively. The sensitivity was 88% and the negative predictive value was 96%. And similar results were obtained when this prediction tool was applied prospectively to the validation cohort. Patients at low and high risk can be easily identified for refusal of PCI by the prediction tool using common clinical data. This practical model might provide useful information for rapid recognition and early response for this kind of crowd.

What's Age Got to do with it? A Review of Contemporary Revascularization in the Elderly

Currently a quarter of all patients treated with percutanous coronary intervention (PCI) are aged >75 years, with this proportion steadily growing. This subset of patients have a number of unique characteristics, such as a greater number of cardiovascular risk factors and frequently a larger burden of coronary artery disease, when compared to younger patients, therefore potentially deriving increased benefit from revascularization. Nonetheless this population are also more likely to experience procedural complications, secondary to age-related physiological alterations, increased frailty and increased prevalence of other co-morbidities. This article reviews the various aspects and data available to clinicians pertaining to and guiding revascularization in the elderly, including the use of adjuvant pharmacotherapy, specific considerations when considering age-related physiology, and revascularization in acute coronary syndromes.