To evaluate the effect of age in an all-comers population undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Age is an important consideration in determining appropriateness for invasive cardiac assessment and perceived clinical outcomes.

We analysed data from 29,012 consecutive patients undergoing PCI in the Melbourne Interventional Group (MIG) registry between 2005 and 2017. 25,730 patients <80 year old (78% male, mean age 62±10 years; non-elderly cohort) were compared to 3,282 patients ≥80 year old (61% male, mean age 84±3 years; elderly cohort).

The elderly cohort had greater prevalence of hypertension, diabetes and previous myocardial infarction (all p<0.001). Elderly patients were more likely to present with acute coronary syndromes, left ventricular ejection fraction <45% and chronic kidney disease (p<0.0001). In-hospital, 30-day and long-term all-cause mortality (over a median of 3.6 and 5.1 years for elderly and non-elderly cohorts, respectively) were higher in the elderly cohort (5.2% vs. 1.9%; 6.4% vs. 2.2%; and 43% vs. 14% respectively, all p<0.0001). In multivariate Cox regression analysis, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <30 mL/min/1.73 m² (HR 3.8, 95% CI: 3.4–4.3), cardiogenic shock (HR 3.0, 95% CI: 2.6–3.4), ejection fraction <30% (HR 2.5, 95% CI: 2.1–2.9); and age ≥80 years (HR 2.8, 95% CI: 2.6–3.1) were independent predictors of long-term all-cause mortality (all p<0.0001).

The elderly cohort is a high-risk group of patients with increasing age being associated with poorer long-term mortality. Age, thus, should be an important consideration when individualising treatment in elderly patients.