Impact of frailty on outcomes of elderly patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

BACKGROUND Frailty is a common condition in elderly patients who receive percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, how frailty affects clinical outcomes in this group is unclear. AIM To assess the link between frailty and the outcomes, such as in-hospital complications, post-procedural complications, and mortality, in elderly patients post-PCI. METHODS The PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases were screened for publications up to August 2023. The primary outcomes assessed were in-hospital and all-cause mortality, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs), and major bleeding. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used for quality assessment. RESULTS Twenty-one studies with 739693 elderly patients undergoing PCI were included. Frailty was consistently associated with adverse outcomes. Frail patients had significantly higher risks of in-hospital mortality [risk ratio: 3.45, 95% confidence interval (95%CI): 1.90-6.25], all-cause mortality [hazard ratio (HR): 2.08, 95%CI: 1.78-2.43], MACEs (HR: 2.92, 95%CI: 1.85-4.60), and major bleeding (HR: 4.60, 95%CI: 2.89-7.32) compared to non-frail patients. CONCLUSION Frailty is a pivotal determinant in the prediction of risk of mortality, development of MACEs, and major bleeding in elderly individuals undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.