Intracranial angioplasty and/or stent placement in octogenarians is associated with a threefold greater risk of periprocedural stroke or death

Purpose: To compare the clinical and angiographic outcomes of endovascular treatment of symptomatic intracranial stenosis between octogenarian and younger patients. Methods: Data for 244 consecutive patients (173 men; mean age 61.6 years) who underwent angioplasty and/or stenting for intracranial atherosclerotic disease at 5 specialized centers were pooled. Baseline, 30-day, and follow-up clinical and angiographic information were collected. Rates of clinical and angiographic endpoints were compared between patients ≥80 years old versus those <80 years. Results: Patients ≥80 years (n=15) were more likely to be hypertensive (87% versus 69%) and have underlying coronary artery disease (73% versus 36%, p<0.05) compared to younger patients (n=229). The rate of periprocedural stroke and/or death was 3-fold higher among patients aged ≥80 years compared with those <80 years (20% versus 7%, p=0.11). No recurrent stroke or death (excluding periprocedural events) was observed during follow-up in the octogenarian group. In patients who had follow-up angiography, a similar rate of ≥50% restenosis was observed among patients aged ≥80 years and those aged <80 years (25% versus 29%, p>0.1). Conclusion: The 3-fold higher periprocedural death and/or stroke rate suggests cautious use of intracranial angioplasty and/or stent placement in octogenarians.