title: [The outcomes of coronary artery bypass and aortic valve replacement in elderly patients].
abstract: To study the outcome of open heart surgery in an increasing population of elderly patients in Iceland.
  
  
  
  A retrospective study of patients (n=876) that underwent coronary artery bypass (CABG) or aortic valve replacement (AVR) for aortic stenosis in Iceland 2002-2006. Complication rates, operative mortality and long-term survival were compared between patients older (n=221, 25%) and younger (n=655, 75%) than 75 years. Long-term survival of the older group was compared to an age and sex matched reference population.
  
  
  
  Older patients had a higher incidence of atrial fibrillation (57% vs. 37%, p<0.001), stroke (5% vs. 1%, p=0.009) and operative mortality (9% vs. 2%, p<0.001) following CABG. Length of ICU stay was similar but total length of stay was one day longer in the older cohort. Following AVR, older patients had a higher incidence of atrial fibrillation (90% vs. 71%, p=0.006), ARDS (19% vs. 7%, p=0.04), myocardial infarction (21% vs. 8%, p=0.05) and operative mortality (11% vs. 2%, p=0.04). The ICU stay was a day longer and the total length of stay was about four days longer in the older cohort. A total of 75% of the older patients were alive five years after CABG, compared to 74% of the reference population (p=0.87). Similar numbers for AVR were 65% for the patients compared to 74% in the reference population (p=0.06).
  
  
  
  The rate of complications, operative mortality and length of hospital stay is higher in patients older than 75 years compared to younger patients. Survival of the older group of patients indicates good long-term results after open heart surgery for this patient cohort.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Landspitali University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland.
authors.forename: Martin Ingi
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Sigurdsson
authors.forename: Sólveig
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Helgadóttir
authors.forename: Inga Lára
authors.initials: IL
authors.lastname: Ingvarsdottir
authors.forename: Sindri Aron
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Viktorsson
authors.forename: Kári
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hreinsson
authors.forename: Thorarinn
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Arnórsson
authors.forename: Tómas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gudbjartsson
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000601:surgery*; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D007055:Iceland; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D017741:Survivors; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome