Utilization Rate and Outcomes of Intravascular Imaging in Elderly Patients Presenting With ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction

Background: Elderly patients presenting with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) represent a vulnerable population with comorbid conditions and complex coronary anatomy. We aimed to describe the utilization rate and outcomes of intravascular imaging to guide percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in this population. Methods: The Nationwide Readmissions Database was queried for all hospitalizations for STEMI involving PCI from 2018 to 2019. Hospitalizations were stratified by patient age into a younger cohort <75 years (mean age 58.7 +/- 9.5 years) and an older cohort >= 75 years. Propensity score-weighed regression analysis was used to iden-tify the association of intravascular imaging with in-hospital mortality, 90-day all-cause readmission, and read-mission for myocardial infarction (MI).Results: A total of 299,619 STEMI PCI hospitalizations were included. Intravascular imaging was utilized less fre-quently in the older cohort (6.8 % vs 7.8 %, odds ratio [OR] 0.87, 95 % CI 0.82-0.92, p < 0.001). In both cohorts, intravascular imaging was more likely to be used with anterior STEMI, complex PCI, mechanical support, and thrombectomy. Propensity score analysis showed the use of intravascular imaging was associated with lower in-hospital mortality in both cohorts (OR 0.60, 95 % CI 0.52-0.68, p < 0.001 in the younger cohort and OR 0.61, 95 % CI 0.51-0.72, p < 0.001 in the older cohort). There was no difference in 90-day all-cause readmission or readmission for MI with intravascular imaging.Conclusions: Intravascular imaging during STEMI PCI is associated with lower in-hospital mortality regardless of age. Further studies are needed to understand the low utilization rates especially among elderly patients.(c) 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.