Age, sex variation among patients treated with percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PICA) in Sri Lanka: a retrospective study

Abstract

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Coronary heart diseases (CHD) remain a major cause of death worldwide, ft is a growing burden for the Sri Lankan health sector. Age and sex has been identified as risk factors for CHD. The private health sector contributes significantly to curative care of CHD. The aim of this study was to determine the variation of age and sex of patients who have been treated with PTCA during the last decade at a private hospital in Colombo. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on patients treated with PTCA in a private hospital in Colombo from 2003 to 2013. Details of patients were extracted from medical records and age and sex variations were analyzed. RESULTS: 4578 patients (3315 men; 72.4%) were included. There was significant reduction in mean age at PTCA from 2003 to 2013 (p<0.01). Overall it had declined from 56.4 years (SD=10.5) in 2003 to 50.9 years (SD=12.4) in 2013. From 2003 to 2013 the mean ages of men had reduced by 7 years (p<0.01), while in females the mean age had reduced by 2.2 years (p<0.01) Male to female ratio was 2.58 in 2003 and 2.45 in 2013- Linear regression analysis showed that with each increment year the age at PTCA reduced by 0.54 years (95%Ci =0.64 to -0.44). CONCLUSIONS: Higher proportions of patients were men. Age at PTCA had decreased in both males and females. But sex ratio of patients had not significantly changed during the last decade.