Long-term relative survival in elderly patients after carotid endarterectomy.

Abstract

To the Editor: The study by Norman et al was a retrospective study1 of patients with symptomatic carotid stenoses undergoing carotid endarterectomy over a 10 year period from 1988–1998. Data were collected from multiple centers with multiple operating surgeons using the Western Australia Data Linkage system. The total population was 1796 patients, which was divided into patients under 80 years (n=1645) and those aged 80 years and over (n=151). Mean follow-up was 4.7 years. Cumulative survival at 5 years was 80% for those under 80 years and 65% in the older group. Relative survival at 5 years was 95% in the under 80 years group and 118% in the older group. The authors concluded that morbidity and mortality were not statistically greater in an older age group. Higher stroke rates have been reported in octogenerians and this …