Abstract:Objective To analyze and summarize the characteristics of clinical, imaging and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) data in the elderly with chronic total occlusion (CTO) of the coronary artery. Methods The clinical data of 3 957 patients (including 1 452 cases ≥65 years old, 36.7%) with CTO verified by coronary angiography admitted in our department from January 1995 to December 2014 were collected and analyzed retrospectively. Results The incidence of stable angina was significantly lower in the elderly group than in the non-elderly group, but that of unstable angina was higher (both P<0.05). The elderly group had more patients suffering from hypertension and heart failure than the non-elderly group (both P<0.001). The duration at cardiac care unit (CCU) and total length of hospital stay were longer in the former than in the latter group (both P<0.001). The ratios of patients with multi-vessel lesion, left main coronary artery CTO, absolute occlusion, stump missing, CTO ≥15mm in length, CTO ≤2.5mm in diameter and bridging collaterals were significantly higher in the elderly group than in the non-elderly group (P<0.001). The successful rate of PCI and complete revascularization was lower in the elderly than in the non-elderly group (P<0.05). Conclusion The elderly CTO patients have higher rates of hypertension, heart failure and multi-vessel lesion, and are characterized by complex lesions and difficulty to PCI.