Aortic valve replacement in the elderly. Effect of gender and coronary artery disease on operative mortality.

Abstract

Aortic valve replacement carries an acceptable mortality rate in elderly patients. Female gender was a significant predictor of operative mortality in the concomitant coronary artery bypass graft group; however, gender was not a predictor of operative mortality in the isolated aortic valve replacement group. Advance stage of the disease process represented by NYHA class IV was a significant predictor of mortality for the whole group, stressing the need for earlier referral for surgery.