Assessment of functional status and quality of life after percutaneous coronary revascularisation in octogenarians

SIR—Population demographics in industrialised nations predict an increase in octogenarian patients. Poor outcomes following coronary intervention have led researchers to question the role of such procedures in this population [1]. Elderly patients undergoing revascularisation are more likely to present with complex lesions and associated co-morbid conditions [2]. Although the effects of cardiovascular therapies on morbidity and mortality have been reported [3–5], there is paucity of data on quality of life following percutaneous coronary revascularisation (PCR) in octogenarians. We recorded both clinical outcomes and quality of life in octogenarians at 6 and 12 months after PCR. Seventy-four consecutive patients aged ≥80 years undergoing PCR were recruited over 18 months and prospectively studied. Local ethics committee approval was obtained. No patients underwent more than two-vessel revascularisation, 28 patients underwent two-vessel revascularisation and the remainder underwent single vessel only. We obtained data for the eight scales and the physical and mental health summary scales [6, 7]. The summary scales were compared to normative data for the general population, age >75 years in the USA [7, 8]. The data from the eight individual scales were compared to the normative data from the UK population [9].