Thirty-Day Outcome of Carotid Artery Stenting in Elderly Patients: A Single-Center Experience

Background: The safety of carotid artery stenting (CAS) in elderly patients is controversial. The aims of this study were to evaluate 30-day outcomes after CAS in elderly patients (≥70 years old) and to investigate risk factors for postoperative incidence of major adverse clinical events (MACE) to improve CAS safety based on clinical evidence in this specific subgroup of patients.

Methods: The data set included patients who underwent CAS between 2001 and 2017 at Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University. The primary outcome variable was 30-day postoperative incidence of the following MACE: death, myocardial infarction, and ipsilateral stroke. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify high-risk patients and procedural characteristics associated with MACE.

Results: A total of 1029 elderly patients who underwent CAS for carotid artery stenosis were identified and analyzed. The incidence of postoperative MACE was 3.01% (n = 31 cases [5 deaths, 24 strokes, and 2 myocardial infarctions]). After multivariate analysis, independent predictors of MACE included a family history of stroke (odds ratio [OR] = 3.817; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.227-11.876; P = 0.021), symptomatic status (OR = 2.650; 95% CI, 1.210-5.806; P = 0.015), and modified Rankin Scale score ≥3 (OR = 4.594; 95% CI, 1.708-12.352; P = 0.003). Hyperlipidemia was not an independent risk factor (OR = 1.597; 95% CI, 0.745-3.425; P = 0.229).

Conclusions: At our center, CAS was safely performed in elderly patients. A family history of stroke, symptomatic status, and modified Rankin Scale score ≥3 indicating a neurologic deficit increased the risk of 30-day postoperative MACE.