Age-specific differences of Impella support in Japanese patients: The Japanese Registry for Percutaneous Ventricular Assist Device (J-PVAD) registry analysis on outcomes and adverse events.

Background: The association between the clinical significance and prognostic impact of catheter-based micro-axial ventricular assist device Impella (Abiomed, Danvers, MA, USA) support and age has not been sufficiently investigated.

Methods and results: A total of 5282 patients treated with Impella were analyzed from the Japanese registry for Percutaneous Ventricular Assist Device (J-PVAD). Patients were categorized into four age groups: <50 years old (Group A, n = 670), 50-69 years old (Group B, n = 2009), 70-79 years old (Group C, n = 1716), and ≥80 years old (Group D, n = 887). Kaplan-Meier curve analysis demonstrated that the prognosis, including 30-day all-cause mortality, was significantly poorer in Group D compared to the other groups. A multivariate Cox regression model identified Group D as an independent predictor of 30-day all-cause death (HR: 2.173, 95 % CI: 1.699-2.779) relative to Group A. The multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that estimated glomerular filtration rate, lactate levels, and systolic blood pressure were independently associated with 30-day mortality across all age categories. The presence of more than two major adverse events was independently associated with 30-day mortality specifically in the cohort aged ≥80 years (OR: 1.492, 95 % CI: 1.037-2.148, p = 0.031).

Conclusion: Increasing age was identified as a significant factor associated with higher 30-day mortality rates in J-PVAD. While the incidence of major adverse events did not differ significantly across age categories, the occurrence of two or more additional adverse events was linked to increased 30-day mortality among older individuals. Therefore, an appropriate mechanical support strategy may be necessary for elderly Japanese patients based on their age.