title: Survival and quality of life of octogenarians who underwent mechanical valve replacement at a younger age.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Mechanical valve replacement is associated with complications, however, there is little information on the quality of life (QOL) of octogenarians who had undergone mechanical valve replacement at a relatively younger age. We examined survival, valve-related events, and the QOL of octogenarians who had undergone mechanical valve replacement.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 56 octogenarians who underwent mechanical valve replacement between 1969 and 1997 (age at the time of surgery, 65.6 ± 6.7 years), completed a questionnaire on survival, valve-related events, and QOL (basic activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living, mental health).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean follow-up was 12.4 ± 6.6 years, and the cumulative follow-up period was 642.4 patient-years. Six valve-related deaths (0.9%/patient-year) were registered during the follow-up. Furthermore, 11 valve-related events (1.8%/patient-year) were recorded. The mean age of the 21 survivors was 82.9 ± 1.8 years, and 19 of the survivors lived at home. Their QOL was excellent.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The valve-related deaths and events in octogenarians who had previously undergone mechanical valve replacement at a younger age were within acceptable limits. The QOL was similar to that of octogenarians described in previous studies.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Graduate School of Biomedical Science, Nagasaki University, 1-7-1 Sakamoto, Nagasaki 852-8501, Japan. coolcat_watawata0127@yahoo.co.jp
authors.forename: Wataru
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: Kazuyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanigawa
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hashizume
authors.forename: Tsuneo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ariyoshi
authors.forename: Shinichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taniguchi
authors.forename: Kenta
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Izumi
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miura
authors.forename: Syun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakaji
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Onohara
authors.forename: Kiyoyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Eishi
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016019:Survival Analysis