Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41688807›Full record

ArticleNeurosurgical review2026

Safety of carotid endarterectomy in the elderly and octogenarian population: a nationwide study including 80,000 patients.

Victor Gabriel El-Hajj, Joanna M Roy, Basel Musmar, Wi Jin Kim, Michael Rizzuto, Nathaniel Ellens, Rabab Alshahrani, Victor E Staartjes, Adrian Elmi-Terander, Ramachandra P Tummala and 5 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Neurosurgical review, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Victor Gabriel El-HajjDepartment of Neurological Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, 901 Walnut street 3rd floor, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9479-761X
Joanna M RoyDepartment of Neurological Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, 901 Walnut street 3rd floor, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA.
Basel MusmarDepartment of Neurological Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, 901 Walnut street 3rd floor, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA.
Wi Jin KimDepartment of Neurological Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, 901 Walnut street 3rd floor, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA.
Michael RizzutoDepartment of Neurological Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, 901 Walnut street 3rd floor, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA.
Nathaniel EllensDepartment of Neurological Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, 901 Walnut street 3rd floor, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA.
Rabab AlshahraniTrillium Health Partners, 100 Queensway West, Mississauga, ON, Canada.
Victor E StaartjesDepartment of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Adrian Elmi-TeranderDepartment of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Ramachandra P TummalaDepartment of Neurosurgery, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
Stavropoula TjoumakarisDepartment of Neurological Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, 901 Walnut street 3rd floor, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA.
M Reid GoochDepartment of Neurological Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, 901 Walnut street 3rd floor, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA.
Robert H RosenwasserDepartment of Neurological Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, 901 Walnut street 3rd floor, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA.
Ziad KhabbazDepartment of Cardiovascular Medicine, Hotel-Dieu De France, Achrafieh, Beirut, Lebanon.
Pascal JabbourDepartment of Neurological Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, 901 Walnut street 3rd floor, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA. pascal.jabbour@jefferson.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8965-2413

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionCarotid endarterectomy (CEA) is an established procedure for stroke prevention in patients with carotid artery stenosis. While CEA is considered safe in younger patients, perioperative risks in octogenarians remain debated, with current guidelines classifying the procedure as "high-risk" in this patient population. This study aimed to evaluate short-term outcomes of CEA across age groups and to assess whether comorbidity burden better predicts outcomes than chronological age.

methodsThe ACS-NSQIP database (2013-2020), was used to identify patients eligible for inclusion. The cohort was stratified based on age < 60, 60-80, and > 80 years. Propensity score matching and multivariable logistic regression were used to compare outcomes across age groups and assess predictors of 30-day complications, readmission, reoperation, non-home discharge, and mortality. Interaction analyses were performed to evaluate the combined impact of age, functional status and comorbidity (ASA classification) on outcomes.

resultsOf 82,427 patients, 15,111 (18%) were > 80 years. Octogenarians had significantly higher 30-day complication, readmission, reoperation, non-home discharge, and mortality rates compared with patients aged 60-80 (all p < 0.001), even after propensity matching. Logistic regression confirmed increased risk in octogenarians (aOR 1.34, 95% CI 1.27-1.42), but comorbidity burden and functional dependency were stronger predictors; severe comorbidity (ASA 4-5; aOR 2.17, 95% CI 1.91-2.47) and full dependency (aOR 2.61, 95% CI 1.89-3.59). Interaction analysis demonstrated that octogenarians with low comorbidity had risks comparable to younger patients with moderate comorbidity.

conclusionsCEA is associated with a worse risk profile among octogenarians. Nonetheless, comorbidity burden and functional status are stronger predictors of adverse outcomes, as compared to age alone. CEA can be performed safely in carefully selected octogenarians with low to moderate comorbidity, whereas severe comorbidity or dependency may represent relative contraindications. Surgical candidacy should be guided by physiological reserve and function rather than chronological age alone.

Indexed as

Carotid StenosisEndarterectomy, CarotidAgedAged, 80 and overAge FactorsComorbidityFemaleHumansMaleOctogenariansPostoperative ComplicationsStrokeTreatment OutcomeCarotid endarterectomyCarotid stenosisElderlyOctogenariansSafety

Identifiers

PMID41688807
PMCPMC12904964

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.