BACKGROUND:

It has been demonstrated recently that carotid stenting can be performed safely in patients > or =80 years of age. However, it is uncertain whether these patients will derive benefit because longevity after revascularization is an important consideration. This study was conducted to determine survival and predictors of mortality of selected elderly patients after stenting.

METHODS AND RESULTS:

One hundred forty-two consecutive elderly patients who were non-high risk for stenting underwent 153 procedures. Patients had either symptomatic stenosis > or =50% or asymptomatic stenosis > or =70%. Demographics and in-hospital outcomes were entered into a database; subsequent outcomes and mortality data were obtained retrospectively. Mean+/-SD age was 83.3+/-3.1 years. Symptomatic patients accounted for 28%. Overall survival at 3 years was 76% (85% at 2 years). At 1 year, 1 fatal stroke had occurred, with 97% of survivors (n=114) free of neurological events (neurological status was undetermined in the remaining 3%). Predictors of mortality were remote (> or =6 months) transient ischemic attack or cerebrovascular accident, smoking history, and creatinine clearance (hemoglobin level showed a strong trend toward achieving significance); for the asymptomatic subgroup, predictors of mortality were smoking history, previous carotid endarterectomy, hemoglobin level, and increasing age. In particular, symptom status and sex were not independent predictors of mortality.

CONCLUSIONS:

This study demonstrates that in selected elderly patients, a high proportion (85%) survived 2 years and >75% survived 3 years after stenting. Carotid stenting may be considered a revascularization option in such patients. Better selection of patients using the predictors of mortality may help to reduce unwarranted procedures and to optimize survival likelihood.