Clinical Characteristics of Elderly Patients Undergoing Coronary Angiography for Chest Pain

BACKGROUND: Elderly persons are rapidly increasing in Korea. Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in this age group. In this research, we evaluated the clinical characteristics of the elderly patients presenting chest pain. METHODS: A total of 471 patients who visited cardiovascular center of Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong for chest pain were reviewed and divided by three groups, via age; under 40, from 40 to 69 and over 70 years old. RESULTS: The number of patients over 70 years was 142 (30.1%). The proportion of patients diagnosed as having significant, multivessel coronary diseases was higher than that of younger patients (p=0.0002). The rate of atypical chest discomfort presenting as a cardiac symptom was not higher than in the middle-aged group (4.8% vs. 2.1%, p=0.255). CONCLUSION: In elderly patients, the proportion of female patients and significant multivessel diseases were more common than younger patients.

Predicting factors of present hepatitis C virus infection among patients positive for the hepatitis C virus antibody

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To identify the predicting factors of present hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among patients with positivity for antibodies to HCV (anti-HCV). METHODS: We analyzed patients who showed positive enzyme immunoassay (EIA) results and performed an HCV RNA test as a confirmatory test at Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong from June 2006 to July 2012. The features distinguishing the groups with positive and negative HCV RNA results were reviewed. RESULTS: In total, 490 patients were included. The results of the HCV RNA test were positive and negative in 228 and 262 patients, respectively. The index value of anti-HCV, mean age, platelet counts, total bilirubin, prothrombin time international normalized ratio, albumin and alanine transaminase (ALT) levels differed significantly between the two groups. On multivariable analysis, an index value of anti-HCV >10 [odds ratio (OR)=397.27, P40 IU/L (OR=3.64, P=0.001), and albumin <3.8 g/dL (OR=2.66, P=0.014) were related to present HCV infection. CONCLUSIONS: Although EIA is not a quantitative test, considering the anti-HCV titer with ALT and albumin levels may be helpful in predicting present of HCV infection.