Invasive versus conservative strategies for non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome in the elderly: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Abstract Background Advances in managing non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) have yet to clarify the optimal treatment for elderly patients, whose complex health profiles and underrepresentation in trials add challenges to decision-making. Methods We systematically searched PubMed, E...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Erfan Kohansal, Sepehr Jamalkhani, Alireza Hosseinpour, Fateme Yousefimoghaddam, Amir Askarinejad, Elnaz Hekmat, Amir Ghaffari Jolfayi, Armin Attar
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-02-01
Series:BMC Cardiovascular Disorders
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12872-025-04560-8
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850067621775409152
author Erfan Kohansal
Sepehr Jamalkhani
Alireza Hosseinpour
Fateme Yousefimoghaddam
Amir Askarinejad
Elnaz Hekmat
Amir Ghaffari Jolfayi
Armin Attar
author_facet Erfan Kohansal
Sepehr Jamalkhani
Alireza Hosseinpour
Fateme Yousefimoghaddam
Amir Askarinejad
Elnaz Hekmat
Amir Ghaffari Jolfayi
Armin Attar
author_sort Erfan Kohansal
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Advances in managing non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) have yet to clarify the optimal treatment for elderly patients, whose complex health profiles and underrepresentation in trials add challenges to decision-making. Methods We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus for randomized controlled trials comparing invasive versus conservative strategies in elderly patients (≥ 70 years) with NSTE-ACS through October 2024. Co-primary outcomes were all-cause and cardiovascular mortalities, with secondary outcomes including myocardial infarction (MI), revascularization, stroke, decompensated heart failure, and bleeding events. Outcomes were analyzed using both risk ratios (RR) and hazard ratios (HR). Results Analysis of 11 trials (4,114 patients) showed no significant differences in all-cause mortality (RR: 1.04, 95% CI: 0.98–1.11; HR: 1.10, 95% CI: 0.94–1.29) or cardiovascular mortality (RR: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.85–1.12; HR: 0.94, 95% CI: 0.73–1.20) between strategies. The invasive approach significantly reduced subsequent revascularization (RR: 0.41, 95% CI: 0.27–0.62; HR: 0.30, 95% CI: 0.19- 0.47; p < 0.01 in both analyses) and MI risk (RR: 0.75, 95% CI: 0.57–0.99, p = 0.04; HR: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.49–0.83, p < 0.01), though with some levels of heterogeneity in sensitivity analyses for MI. Stroke and heart failure outcomes were comparable between strategies. However, it significantly increased the risk of both composite major and minor bleeding risk (RR: 1.50, 95% CI: 1.02–2.20, p = 0.04) and major bleeding alone (RR: 1.92, 95% CI: 1.04–3.56, p = 0.04). Conclusion In elderly patients with NSTE-ACS, an invasive strategy reduces revascularization needs and, potentially, MI risk without impacting survival, but at the cost of increased bleeding risk. This supports individualized treatment decisions based on patient-specific characteristics, particularly bleeding risk and geriatric factors.
format Article
id doaj-art-29227f5de5f647b79a50853960845f4d
institution DOAJ
issn 1471-2261
language English
publishDate 2025-02-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series BMC Cardiovascular Disorders
spelling doaj-art-29227f5de5f647b79a50853960845f4d2025-08-20T02:48:16ZengBMCBMC Cardiovascular Disorders1471-22612025-02-0125111710.1186/s12872-025-04560-8Invasive versus conservative strategies for non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome in the elderly: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trialsErfan Kohansal0Sepehr Jamalkhani1Alireza Hosseinpour2Fateme Yousefimoghaddam3Amir Askarinejad4Elnaz Hekmat5Amir Ghaffari Jolfayi6Armin Attar7Rajaie Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center, Iran University of Medical SciencesRajaie Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center, Iran University of Medical SciencesSchool of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical SciencesRajaie Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center, Iran University of Medical SciencesRajaie Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center, Iran University of Medical SciencesMid and South Essex NHS Foundation TrustRajaie Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center, Iran University of Medical SciencesDepartment of Cardiovascular Medicine, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical SciencesAbstract Background Advances in managing non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) have yet to clarify the optimal treatment for elderly patients, whose complex health profiles and underrepresentation in trials add challenges to decision-making. Methods We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus for randomized controlled trials comparing invasive versus conservative strategies in elderly patients (≥ 70 years) with NSTE-ACS through October 2024. Co-primary outcomes were all-cause and cardiovascular mortalities, with secondary outcomes including myocardial infarction (MI), revascularization, stroke, decompensated heart failure, and bleeding events. Outcomes were analyzed using both risk ratios (RR) and hazard ratios (HR). Results Analysis of 11 trials (4,114 patients) showed no significant differences in all-cause mortality (RR: 1.04, 95% CI: 0.98–1.11; HR: 1.10, 95% CI: 0.94–1.29) or cardiovascular mortality (RR: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.85–1.12; HR: 0.94, 95% CI: 0.73–1.20) between strategies. The invasive approach significantly reduced subsequent revascularization (RR: 0.41, 95% CI: 0.27–0.62; HR: 0.30, 95% CI: 0.19- 0.47; p < 0.01 in both analyses) and MI risk (RR: 0.75, 95% CI: 0.57–0.99, p = 0.04; HR: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.49–0.83, p < 0.01), though with some levels of heterogeneity in sensitivity analyses for MI. Stroke and heart failure outcomes were comparable between strategies. However, it significantly increased the risk of both composite major and minor bleeding risk (RR: 1.50, 95% CI: 1.02–2.20, p = 0.04) and major bleeding alone (RR: 1.92, 95% CI: 1.04–3.56, p = 0.04). Conclusion In elderly patients with NSTE-ACS, an invasive strategy reduces revascularization needs and, potentially, MI risk without impacting survival, but at the cost of increased bleeding risk. This supports individualized treatment decisions based on patient-specific characteristics, particularly bleeding risk and geriatric factors.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12872-025-04560-8ElderlyNon-ST-Elevation Acute Coronary SyndromeInvasive StrategyConservative ManagementMeta-analysis
spellingShingle Erfan Kohansal
Sepehr Jamalkhani
Alireza Hosseinpour
Fateme Yousefimoghaddam
Amir Askarinejad
Elnaz Hekmat
Amir Ghaffari Jolfayi
Armin Attar
Invasive versus conservative strategies for non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome in the elderly: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
BMC Cardiovascular Disorders
Elderly
Non-ST-Elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome
Invasive Strategy
Conservative Management
Meta-analysis
title Invasive versus conservative strategies for non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome in the elderly: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
title_full Invasive versus conservative strategies for non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome in the elderly: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
title_fullStr Invasive versus conservative strategies for non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome in the elderly: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
title_full_unstemmed Invasive versus conservative strategies for non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome in the elderly: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
title_short Invasive versus conservative strategies for non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome in the elderly: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
title_sort invasive versus conservative strategies for non st elevation acute coronary syndrome in the elderly an updated systematic review and meta analysis of randomized controlled trials
topic Elderly
Non-ST-Elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome
Invasive Strategy
Conservative Management
Meta-analysis
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12872-025-04560-8
work_keys_str_mv AT erfankohansal invasiveversusconservativestrategiesfornonstelevationacutecoronarysyndromeintheelderlyanupdatedsystematicreviewandmetaanalysisofrandomizedcontrolledtrials
AT sepehrjamalkhani invasiveversusconservativestrategiesfornonstelevationacutecoronarysyndromeintheelderlyanupdatedsystematicreviewandmetaanalysisofrandomizedcontrolledtrials
AT alirezahosseinpour invasiveversusconservativestrategiesfornonstelevationacutecoronarysyndromeintheelderlyanupdatedsystematicreviewandmetaanalysisofrandomizedcontrolledtrials
AT fatemeyousefimoghaddam invasiveversusconservativestrategiesfornonstelevationacutecoronarysyndromeintheelderlyanupdatedsystematicreviewandmetaanalysisofrandomizedcontrolledtrials
AT amiraskarinejad invasiveversusconservativestrategiesfornonstelevationacutecoronarysyndromeintheelderlyanupdatedsystematicreviewandmetaanalysisofrandomizedcontrolledtrials
AT elnazhekmat invasiveversusconservativestrategiesfornonstelevationacutecoronarysyndromeintheelderlyanupdatedsystematicreviewandmetaanalysisofrandomizedcontrolledtrials
AT amirghaffarijolfayi invasiveversusconservativestrategiesfornonstelevationacutecoronarysyndromeintheelderlyanupdatedsystematicreviewandmetaanalysisofrandomizedcontrolledtrials
AT arminattar invasiveversusconservativestrategiesfornonstelevationacutecoronarysyndromeintheelderlyanupdatedsystematicreviewandmetaanalysisofrandomizedcontrolledtrials