title: Percutaneous closure of atrial septal defects: echocardiographic and functional results in patients older than 60 years.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Percutaneous closure of atrial septal defects is well established in children and adults and has been found to improve symptoms and positively influence right-heart remodeling. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and long-term outcome in adult patients older than 60 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study population comprised 96 patients in the age group of 60 to 84 years. Percutaneous closure was performed effectively in all patients. Functional capacity according to New York Heart Association functional class and peak oxygen uptake (VO(2)max) in the cardiopulmonary exercise testing improved significantly after atrial septal defects closure, especially in patients with a pulmonary-to-systemic flow ratio >2. Echocardiographic measurements of the right ventricular end-diastolic diameter showed a significant decrease. No device-associated complications were observed, but in 16 patients, paroxysmal atrial fibrillation occurred after device implantation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Percutaneous atrial septal defects closure can be performed safely and with minimal risk even in elderly patients. They profit in terms of symptom reduction, improvement of exercise capacity, and right-heart remodeling.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Heart and Diabetes Center North Rhine-Westphalia, Ruhr University Bochum, Georgstrasse 11, Bad Oeynhausen, Germany.
authors.forename: Smita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jategaonkar
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Scholtz
authors.forename: Henning
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Horstkotte
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000209:etiology; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005080:Exercise Test; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D005260:Female; D006344:Heart Septal Defects, Atrial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D018579:Patient Selection; D020127:Recovery of Function; D018570:Risk Assessment; D055989:Septal Occluder Device; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D020257:Ventricular Remodeling