August 3, 2026Circulation
Outcomes of Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery in 24 461 Patients Aged 80 Years or Older
Key result
CABG in patients ≥80 years linked to ~161% higher in-hospital mortality versus ages 65-70.
- n=24,461
Why the study?
Coronary artery bypass graft surgery is increasingly common in patients aged 80 years or older, but single-institution reviews cited a wide range of mortality results due to limited sample sizes.
What are the outcomes and costs of coronary artery bypass graft surgery in patients aged >= 80 years compared to those aged 65 to 70 years?
Population
24,461 Medicare patients aged >= 80 years who underwent bypass surgery
Comparison
Patients aged >= 80 years vs Medicare patients aged 65 to 70 years
Design
Retrospective national claims data study
Follow-up
3-year
Authors
Discussion
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Member takes
Implication
Higher perioperative mortality and resource use after CABG in octogenarians warrant careful selection; leaves open optimal risk stratification for trials.
Key Points
- To analyze the outcomes of coronary artery bypass graft surgery in patients aged 80 and older.
- Examined Medicare data from 1987 to 1990 involving 24,461 patients aged 80 years or older.
- Compared outcomes with Medicare patients aged 65 to 70 years.
- In-hospital mortality was 11.5% for octogenarians compared to 4.4% for younger patients.
- 1-year mortality was 19.3% versus 7.9% for patients aged 65 to 70 years.
- 3-year mortality rates were 28.8% for patients aged 80 and older versus 13.1% for younger patients.
Study Design
Type
Cohort (n=24,461)
Multicenter
Yes
Structured PICO
What are the outcomes and costs of coronary artery bypass graft surgery in patients aged >= 80 years compared to those aged 65 to 70 years?
P
Population
24,461 Medicare patients aged 80 years or older who underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery between 1987 and 1990, compared with patients aged 65 to 70 years.
E
Exposure
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery
C
Comparator
Medicare patients aged 65 to 70 years who underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery
O
Outcome
In-hospital, 1-year, and 3-year mortality rates, postoperative hospital stays, charges, and costshard clinical
Main Result
Absolute Event Rate: 11.5% vs 4.4%
CABG in patients aged 80 or older carries significantly higher procedural risks, mortality, and costs compared to younger patients, though long-term survival mirrors the general octogenarian population.
Cite This Study
Peterson et al. (1995) conducted a cohort in Coronary artery disease requiring bypass surgery (n=24,461). Coronary artery bypass graft surgery in patients aged ≥80 years vs. Coronary artery bypass graft surgery in patients aged 65 to 70 years was evaluated on In-hospital mortality. Coronary artery bypass graft surgery in patients aged ≥80 years had significantly higher in-hospital (11.5% vs 4.4%) and 3-year mortality (28.8% vs 13.1%) compared to patients aged 65-70 years.