Medical & Clinical Research

Author(s): M.Abdelbaki, Y.Sayad, Boudiaf Eh, Mo Amrane

Nearly 10% of the Algerian population (estimated at 44 millions) is aged over 70, and many of them have coronary heart disease. At the same time, life expectancy at the age of 70 still appears to be high.
Objective: To evaluate the results of coronary surgery in these patients. Methodology: We compared 88 consecutive patients in their 70s who underwent isolated coronary artery bypass grafting between 2016 and 2019 with 165 patients aged 50 to 60. The two groups were matched for major risk factors. Patients were contacted by telephone and sent a quality of life questionnaire.
Results: Operative mortality was 2.3% in septuagenarians, compared with 1.2% in 50-60 year olds (P not significant). There was a higher incidence of low flow, postoperative acute renal failure and transfusion in patients in their seventies. Long-term survival (mean follow-up of 2.8 years) was higher in the 50- to 60-year-olds: 89.7% compared with 77.9% (P=0.025). We found four independent risk factors for increased long-term mortality: age, diabetes, history of stroke and postoperative blood transfusion.
Conclusion: For selected septuagenarians, isolated coronary surgery can be proposed, and the short- and medium-term results will be comparable to those in a younger population.