Outcomes of octogenarians receiving aortic repair.

OBJECTIVE: Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair is recommended for aneurysms greater than 5.5 cm in men and 5 cm in women. Because AAA is more common among the elderly, we sought to evaluate contemporary practices of elective AAA repair and 2-year postoperative outcomes in octogenarians. METHODS: We identified octogenarians undergoing elective AAA repair in the Vascular Quality Initiative from 2012 to 2019. We included patients undergoing endovascular (EVAR) and open (OAR) aortic repair. Demographics and comorbid conditions were compared between patient groups. Frailty was calculated using previously published methods. Patients with frailty scores above the 75th percentile of the operative cohort were considered high frailty. The primary outcome was 1- and 2-year mortality. Secondary outcomes included postoperative complications. Standard statistical methods were utilized. Cox proportional hazard models were used to identify factors that affect mortality. RESULTS: The frequency of AAA repair in octogenarians has remained stable. Of all aortic operations, 21.4% were performed on octogenarians; 9735 (23.3% of 41,712) EVAR and 755 (10.3% of 7325) OARs. Among octogenarian patients, 42.0% of EVARs were under size thresholds: 48.3% males ≤5.5 cm diameter and 21.5% females ≤5.0 cm diameter compared with 18.8% OARs: 23.4% males and 10.7% females. Additionally, 25.6% had high frailty scores. Among octogenarians, 1- and 2-year mortality was 9.3% ± 0.3% and 14.8% ± 0.4% for EVAR and 15.2% ± 1.3% and 18.9% ± 1.5% for OAR patients, respectively (P < .01). In-hospital mortality rate was higher after OAR (0.87% EVAR vs 7.55% OAR; P < .01) and differed with frailty (EVAR, low frailty 0.2% vs high frailty 1.7%; OAR, low frailty 2.3% vs high frailty 15.6%). For EVAR, patient factors associated with mortality included heart failure (hazard ratio [HR], 1.15; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06-1.25; P = .001) and dialysis (HR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.13-2.59; P = .012). For OAR, coronary artery disease (HR, 1.55; 95% CI, 0.98-2.44; P = .062) was associated with mortality. Statin use was protective of mortality for all patients (EVAR: HR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.60-0.78; P < .01): OAR: HR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.37-0.92; P = .020). Among octogenarians, high frailty was independently associated with 2-year mortality (EVAR: HR, 3.36; 95% CI, 2.62-4.31; P < .01 and OAR: HR, 2.35; 95% CI, 1.09-5.10; P = .030). CONCLUSIONS: Nationally, a large portion of elective AAA repair in octogenarians is performed below recommended size thresholds, one-quarter of whom are frail with poor long-term 2-year mortality rates. High 2-year mortality following AAA repair in this age group exceeds the published risk of rupture for 5- to 5.5-cm AAA, suggesting that increase in the size threshold of elective repair among octogenarians should be explored.

Characterization of multiple organ failure after ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.

BACKGROUND: Multiple organ failure (MOF) is associated with poor outcomes and increased mortality in sepsis and trauma. There are limited data regarding MOF in patients after ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA) repair. We aimed to identify the contemporary prevalence and characteristics of patients with rAAA with MOF. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed patients with rAAA who underwent repair (2010-2020) at our multihospital institution. Patients who died within the first 2 days after repair were excluded. MOF was quantified by modified (excluding hepatic system) Denver, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score, and Multiple Organ Dysfunction Score (MODS) for postoperative days 3 to 5 to determine the prevalence of MOF. MOF was defined as a Denver score of >3, dysfunction in two or more organ systems by SOFA score, or a MODS score of >8. Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank testing were used to evaluate differences in 30-day mortality between multiple organ failure and patients without MOF. Logistic regression was used to assess predictors of MOF. RESULTS: Of 370 patients with rAAA, 288 survived past two days (mean age, 73±10.1 years; 76.7% male; 44.1% open repair), and 143 had data for MOF calculation recorded. From postoperative days 3 to 5, 41 (14.24%) had MOF by Denver, 26 (9.03%) by SOFA, and 39 (13.54%) by MODS criteria. Among these scoring systems, pulmonary and neurological systems were impacted most commonly. Among patients with MOF, pulmonary derangement occurred in 65.9% (Denver), 57.7% (SOFA), and 56.4% (MODS). Similarly, neurological derangement occurred in 92.3% (SOFA) and 89.7% (MODS), but renal derangement occurred in 26.8% (Denver), 23.1% (SOFA), and 10.3% (MODS). MOF by all three scoring systems was associated with increased 30-day mortality (Denver: 11.3% vs 41.5% [P < .01]; DOFA: 12.6% vs 46.2% [P < .01]; MODS: 12.5% vs 35.9% [P < .01]), as was MOF by any criteria (10.8% vs 35.7 %; P < .01). Patients with MOF were more likely to have a higher body mass index (55.9±26.6 vs 49.0±15.0; P = .011) and to have had a preoperative stroke (17.9% vs 6.0%; P = .016). Patients with MOF were less likely to have undergone endovascular repair (30.4% vs 62.1%; P < .001). Endovascular repair was protective against MOF (any criteria) on multivariate analysis (odds ratio, 0.23; 95% confidence interval, 0.08-0.64; P = .019) after adjusting for age, gender, and presenting systolic blood pressure. CONCLUSIONS: MOF occurred in only 9% to 14% of patients after rAAA repair, but was associated with a three-fold increase in mortality. Endovascular repair was associated with a reduced MOF incidence.

Trends in mortality and postoperative complications among octogenarian patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy.

BACKGROUND: Elderly patients represent a large portion of patients undergoing vascular surgery. This study aims to assess the contemporary frequency of octogenarians undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and to evaluate their postoperative complications and survival rates. METHODS: The Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI) dataset was queried for patients who underwent elective CEA between 2012 and 2021. Patients aged >90 years were excluded, as well as emergent and combined cases. The population was divided into two age groups: <80 years and ≥80 years. Frailty scores were generated using Vascular Quality Initiative variables grouped into 11 domains historically associated with frailty. Patients with scores within the first 25th percentile, between the 25th and 50th percentile, and above the 75th percentile were categorized into low, medium, and high frailty classes, respectively. Procedural indications were defined as hard (stenosis ≥80% or ipsilateral neurologic symptoms) or soft. Primary outcomes of interest were 2-year stroke-free and 2-year overall survival comparing (i) octogenarians with nonoctogenarians and (ii) octogenarians by frailty class. Standard statistical methods were used. RESULTS: Overall, 83,745 cases were included in this analysis. Between 2012 and 2021, a consistent proportion averaging 17% of CEA patients were octogenarians. Among this age group, the proportion of patients undergoing CEA for hard indications increased over time from 43.7% to 63.8% (P < .001). This increase was accompanied by a statistically significant increase in the combined 30-day perioperative stroke and mortality rate from 1.56% in 2012 to 2.96% in 2021 (P = .019). A Kaplan-Meier analysis showed a significantly lower 2-year stroke-free survival among octogenarians compared with the younger group (78.1% vs 87.6%; P < .001). Similarly, there was a significantly lower 2-year overall survival among octogenarians compared with the younger group (90.5% vs 95.1%; P < .001). Multivariate Cox proportional hazard analyses showed that high frailty class was associated with increased 2-year stroke risk (hazard ratio, 2.26; 95% confidence interval, 1.61-3.17; P < .001) and 2-year mortality (hazard ratio, 2.43; 95% confidence interval, 1.71-3.47; P < .001). Repeat Kaplan-Meier analysis stratifying octogenarians by frailty class revealed that octogenarians with low frailty can have stroke-free and overall survival rates comparable with nonoctogenarians (88.2% vs 87.6% [P = .158] and 96.0% vs 95.1% [P = .151], respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Chronological age should not be regarded as a contraindication for CEA. Frailty score calculation is a better predictor for postoperative outcomes and is an appropriate tool to risk stratify octogenarians, aiding in the decision between best medical treatment or intervention. The risk benefit assessment for high frailty class octogenarians is paramount because the postoperative risks may outweigh the long-term survival benefits of the prophylactic CEA.

Improved outpatient medical visit compliance with sociodemographic discrepancies in vascular telehealth evaluations.

OBJECTIVE: The COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic has led to a rapid expansion in the use of telemedicine across all medical fields but has also exposed telehealth care disparities with differing access to technology across racial and ethnic groups. The objective of our study was to investigate the effects of telehealth on vascular visit compliance and to explore the effects of sociodemographic factors on vascular surgery outpatient telehealth usage during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Consecutive patients who had undergone an outpatient vascular surgery evaluation between February 24, 2020 (the launch of our telemedicine program) and December 31, 2020, were reviewed. The baseline demographic and outcomes were obtained from the electronic medical records. Telehealth and in-person evaluations were defined according to the patient's index visit during the study period. Medical visit compliance was established on completion of the telehealth or in-person encounter. We used χ2 tests and logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: A total of 23,553 outpatient visits had been scheduled for 10,587 patients during the study period. Of the outpatient visits, 1559 had been scheduled telehealth encounters compared with 21,994 scheduled in-person encounters. Of the scheduled outpatient encounters, 13,900 medical visits (59.0%) had been completed: 1183 telehealth visits and 12,717 in-person visits. The mean travel distance saved for the telehealth visits was 22.1 ± 27.1 miles, and the mean travel time saved was 46.3 ± 41.47 minutes. We noted no sociodemographic differences between the patients scheduled for telehealth vs in-person visits. We found a trend toward a lower proportion of African-American patients in the telehealth group vs the in-person group (7.8% vs 10.6%; P = .116), without statistical significance. A significantly higher rate of medical visit completion was found for the telehealth group compared with the in-person group (79.5% vs 59.4%; P < .001). Among the patients scheduled for an outpatient medical visit, a scheduled telemedicine evaluation (vs in-person) was associated with 2.3 times the odds of completing the medical visit (odds ratio, 2.31; 95% confidence interval, 2.05-2.61), adjusting for age, sex, race, ethnicity, language, and the distance between the patient's home zip code and the outpatient vascular center's zip code. Selecting for scheduled telemedicine visits, African-American race was associated with a decreased odds of telemedicine usage (odds ratio, 0.73; 95% confidence interval, 0.59-0.90) after adjusting for age, sex, ethnicity, language, and visit type. CONCLUSIONS: Use of the vascular surgery outpatient telehealth evaluation appeared to improve medical visit completion in our region with apparent sociodemographic disparities. Further studies are needed to confirm whether telemedicine expansion has improved access to care in other geographic areas.