Safety and efficacy of transradial coronary angiography and intervention in patients older than 80 years: from the Korean Transradial Intervention Prospective Registry

BACKGROUND Radial artery access for coronary procedures is a safe and beneficial technique. However, elderly patients have been considered as a higher risk group of access site related complications compared to younger patients. This study was conducted to investigate the feasibility and safety of transradial coronary angiography or intervention in the elderly. METHODS A total of 6132 patients from Korean Transradial Intervention Prospective Registry at 20 centers were analyzed. Patients were divided into the non-elderly group (n = 5667) and the elderly (≥ 80 years) group (n = 465). Using propensity score matching, the elderly group (n = 465) was compared with one-to-one matched the non-elderly group (n = 465). RESULTS After propensity score matching, mean age was 64.3 ± 10.3 years in the non-elderly group and 83.5 ± 3.3 years in the elderly group. There was no difference of procedural characteristics, procedural and fluoroscopic times. Access site cross-over rate was not different between the non-elderly group and elderly group (7.5% vs. 6.2%, P = 0.074). Bleeding complications occurred similarly in two groups (2.6% of the non-elderly group vs. 1.9% of the elderly group, P = 0.660). Access site complications were 1.9% of the non-elderly group and 0.9% of the elderly group (P = 0.263). Both of in hospital death and cardiovascular death for one year were also similar between two groups. CONCLUSIONS Transradial angiography or intervention was safe and feasible in elderly patients. Complication rates and clinical outcomes in elderly patients were comparable with those in non-elderly patients.