Cirugía cardíaca en pacientes de edad avanzada / Cardiac surgery in elderly patients

Objetivo. Comparar la morbilidad y la mortalidad de los pacientes de cirugía cardíaca de acuerdo a la edad inferior o superior a 75 años. Diseño. Estudio descriptivo retrospectivo. Pacientes. Dos mil cuatrocientos setenta pacientes consecutivos ingresados en el postoperatorio inmediato tras cirugía cardíaca en nuestra Unidad de Medicina Intensiva entre noviembre de 2000 y diciembre de 2005. De ellos, 1.983 eran menores de 75 años y 497 mayores de 75 años. Se han incluido todos los pacientes con cirugía, tanto programada como urgente y emergente. Principales variables de interés. Factores de riesgo cardiovascular (diabetes mellitus, hipertensión arterial y dislipidemia), European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (EuroSCORE) y EuroSCORE logístico, estancia, mortalidad, complicaciones durante la estancia en la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos (UCI). Resultados. La mortalidad hospitalaria de los pacientes mayores de 74 años fue significativamente superior (9,2% frente a 4,3%, p < 0,05). La morbilidad de los pacientes mayores de 74 también fue superior (EuroSCORE 8,2 ± 2,7 frente a 4,9 ± 3,3, p < 0,001). Tanto la estancia en la UCI como la estancia hospitalaria fueron significativamente superiores en los pacientes mayores de 74 años. Conclusiones. En nuestra serie tanto la morbilidad como la mortalidad de los mayores de 74 es superior, lo que conlleva peores resultados en la cirugía cardíaca de estos pacientes

Objective. To compare morbidity and mortality of cardiac surgery patients according to age below or above 75 years. Design. Descriptive retrospective study. Patients. A total of 2,470 consecutive patients admitted to our Intensive Medicine Unit between November 2000 and December 2005 who were in the immediate postoperative period after cardiac surgery. Of these patients, 1,983 were younger than 75 years and 497 were older than 75 years. Main variables of interest. Cardiovascular risk factors (diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension and dyslipidemia), EuroSCORE (European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation) and logistic EuroSCORE, length of stay, mortality, complications during Intensive Care Unit (ICU) stay. Results. In-hospital mortality of patients older than 74 years was significantly higher (9.2% versus 4.2%, p < 0.05). The morbidity of patients over 74 years of age was also significantly higher (EuroSCORE 8.2 ± 2.7 versus 4.9 ± 3.3, p < 0.001). Both ICU stay and hospital stay were significantly higher in those over 74 years of age. Conclusions. In our series both morbidity and mortality were higher in those older than 74 years of age group, which entails worse results in cardiac surgery of these patients

[Cardiac surgery in elderly patients]. / Cirugía cardíaca en pacientes de edad avanzada.

OBJECTIVE: To compare morbidity and mortality of cardiac surgery patients according to age below or above 75 years. DESIGN: Descriptive retrospective study. PATIENTS: A total of 2,470 consecutive patients admitted to our Intensive Medicine Unit between November 2000 and December 2005 who were in the immediate postoperative period after cardiac surgery. Of these patients, 1,983 were younger than 75 years and 497 were older than 75 years. MAIN VARIABLES OF INTEREST: Cardiovascular risk factors (diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension and dyslipidemia), EuroSCORE (European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation) and logistic EuroSCORE, length of stay, mortality, complications during Intensive Care Unit (ICU) stay. RESULTS: In-hospital mortality of patients older than 74 years was significantly higher (9.2% versus 4.2%, p < 0.05). The morbidity of patients over 74 years of age was also significantly higher (EuroSCORE 8.2 +/- 2.7 versus 4.9 +/- 3.3, p < 0.001). Both ICU stay and hospital stay were significantly higher in those over 74 years of age. CONCLUSIONS: In our series both morbidity and mortality were higher in those older than 74 years of age group, which entails worse results in cardiac surgery of these patients.