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Pulmonary Embolectomy in Elderly Patients.
Am J Med. 2013 Dec 10;
Authors: Stein PD, Matta F
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The relation of age to case fatality rate in patients undergoing pulmonary embolectomy has not been reported. In view of the importance of age in the selection of patients who may be candidates for pulmonary embolectomy, we explored the database of the Nationwide Inpatient Sample to determine the impact of age on case fatality rate.
METHODS: Patients with pulmonary embolism who underwent pulmonary embolectomy in short-stay hospitals throughout the United States, 1999- 2008, were identified from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample. In-hospital all-cause case fatality rate was assessed according to age.
RESULTS: The proportion of patients who underwent pulmonary embolectomy decreased with age among both stable and unstable patients. Case fatality rate with pulmonary embolectomy in stable patients increased with age beginning at age 51-60 years. Among patients aged 51- 60 years, case fatality rate was 100 of 575 (17.4%). It increased to 60 of 130 (46.2%) among patients aged >80 years (P<0.0001). Case fatality rate did not correlate with age in unstable patients.
CONCLUSION: Case fatality rate with pulmonary embolectomy in stable patients increases with age above 51-60 years and is high among the elderly. Case fatality rate of with pulmonary embolectomy in unstable patients does not appear to be age-related.
PMID: 24333199 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]