Does location of the second internal thoracic artery graft influence outcome of coronary artery bypass grafting?

BACKGROUND: We sought to determine whether location of the second internal thoracic artery (ITA) graft used for bilateral ITA grafting affects mortality and morbidity of patients with 3-system coronary artery disease and to identify factors associated with second ITA location. METHODS AND RESULTS: From January 1972 to June 2006, 3611 patients with 3-system coronary artery disease underwent bilateral ITA grafting with one graft anastomosed to the left anterior descending system and the second to either the circumflex (n=2926) or right coronary artery (n=685) system. Follow-up was 9.2+/-7.2 years. Propensity score methodology was used to obtain risk-adjusted outcome comparisons between patients with the second ITA to circumflex versus right coronary artery. Hospital mortality (0.34% versus 0.58%; P=0.4), stroke (0.96% versus 0.88%; P=0.8), myocardial infarction (1.3% versus 0.73%; P=0.2), renal failure (0.44% versus 0.29%; P=0.6), respiratory insufficiency (3.5% versus 3.8%; P=0.7), and reoperation for bleeding (3.4% versus 3.2%; P=0.8) were similar in patients who received the second ITA to circumflex or right coronary artery and remained similar after propensity score adjustment. Late survival (86% versus 87% at 10 years) was also similar. Despite this, there was a gradual decline in ITA to right coronary artery grafting. CONCLUSIONS: Contrary to prevailing wisdom that the second ITA graft should be anastomosed to the next most important left-sided coronary artery in 3-system coronary artery disease, it may be placed to either the circumflex or right coronary artery system with similar early and late outcomes.

Persistent effect of red cell transfusion on health-related quality of life after cardiac surgery.

BACKGROUND: Although red blood cell transfusion has been associated with an increase in early morbid outcomes and reduced long-term survival after cardiac surgery, its relationship to functional quality of life after surgery has not been previously explored. Our objective was to investigate the relationship between perioperative red blood cell and component transfusion and functional health-related quality of life 6 to 12 months after cardiac surgery. METHODS: Of 12,536 patients undergoing cardiac surgical procedures between May 1995 and January 1999, 7,321 completed a self-administered Duke Activity Status Index (DASI) survey preoperatively and least one follow-up survey at nominally 6 or 12 months postoperatively. The influence of baseline DASI, preoperative risk factors, clinical status, laboratory values, operative events, and postoperative morbidities on follow-up DASI were examined with ordinal regression modeling. RESULTS: After adjustment for preoperative DASI, demographic, cardiac and noncardiac comorbidity, type of surgery, postoperative complications, and interval between follow-up DASI, during which patients continued to improve (p < 0.0001), postoperative functional status after cardiac surgery was incrementally worse the more perioperative red cells (p < 0.0001) and platelets (p = 0.02) that had been transfused. CONCLUSIONS: Red blood cell and platelet transfusion have an unintended persistently negative risk-adjusted effect on health-related quality of life after cardiac surgery that extends well beyond initial hospitalization. Reductions in functional recovery paralleled increasing units of red blood cells transfused.

Morbidity and mortality risk associated with red blood cell and blood-component transfusion in isolated coronary artery bypass grafting.

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to quantify incremental risk associated with transfusion of packed red blood cells and other blood components on morbidity after coronary artery bypass grafting. DESIGN: The study design was an observational cohort study. SETTING: This investigation took place at a large tertiary care referral center. PATIENTS: A total of 11,963 patients who underwent isolated coronary artery bypass from January 1, 1995, through July 1, 2002. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Among the 11,963 patients who underwent isolated coronary artery bypass grafting, 5,814 (48.6%) were transfused. Risk-adjusted probability of developing in-hospital mortality and morbidity as a function of red blood cell and blood-component transfusion was modeled using logistic regression. Transfusion of red blood cells was associated with a risk-adjusted increased risk for every postoperative morbid event: mortality (odds ratio [OR], 1.77; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.67-1.87; p<.0001), renal failure (OR, 2.06; 95% CI, 1.87-2.27; p<.0001), prolonged ventilatory support (OR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.72-1.86; p<.0001), serious infection (OR, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.68-1.84; p<.0001), cardiac complications (OR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.47-1.63; p<.0001), and neurologic events (OR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.30-1.44; p<.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Perioperative red blood cell transfusion is the single factor most reliably associated with increased risk of postoperative morbid events after isolated coronary artery bypass grafting. Each unit of red cells transfused is associated with incrementally increased risk for adverse outcome.

Transfusion in coronary artery bypass grafting is associated with reduced long-term survival.

BACKGROUND: Perioperative red blood cell (PRBC) transfusion has been associated with early risk for morbid outcomes, but risk related to long-term survival has not been thoroughly explored. Therefore, we examined the influence of PRBC transfusion and component therapy on long-term survival after isolated coronary artery bypass grafting after controlling for the effect of demographics, comorbidities, operative factors, and the early hazard for death. METHODS: The US Social Security Death Index was used to ascertain survival status for 10,289 patients who underwent isolated coronary artery bypass grafting from January 1, 1995 through June 28, 2002. The outcome measure was all-cause mortality during the follow-up period. Unadjusted survival estimates were performed using the Kaplan-Meier techniques. Survival curves for transfusion status were compared with the log-rank test. The parametric decomposition model was used for risk-adjusted survival. A balancing score was calculated for each patient and forced into the final model. RESULTS: Survival among transfused patients was significantly reduced as compared with nontransfused patients. The instantaneous risk of death displayed a biphasic pattern: a declining hazard phase from the time of the operation (early hazard) up until 6 months postoperatively and then a late hazard that continued out until about 10 years. Transfusion of red cells was associated with a risk-adjusted reduction in survival for both the early (0.34 +/- 0.02, p < 0.0001) and late phases (0.074 +/- 0.016, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Perioperative PRBC transfusion is associated with adverse long-term sequela in isolated CABG. Attention should be directed toward blood conservation methods and a more judicious use of PRBC.

Impact of prosthesis-patient size on functional recovery after aortic valve replacement.

BACKGROUND: Prosthesis-patient size mismatch results when an implanted prosthetic aortic valve is of insufficient size for a patient's body surface area. The relation between prosthesis-patient size and functional capacity and adverse postoperative outcome is inconsistent. Our objectives were to examine the impact of valve replacement, continuous prosthesis-patient size, and other factors on functional recovery after aortic valve replacement (AVR) with the Duke Activity Status Index (DASI). METHODS AND RESULTS: From June 15, 1995, through May 14, 1998, 1108 patients underwent AVR after completing a DASI survey. Of these, 1014 completed a postoperative DASI survey at an average of 8.3 months postoperatively. Logistic ordinal regression was used to examine the influence of demographic variables, comorbidities, baseline DASI scores, indexed valve orifice area, standardized orifice size, and postoperative morbid events on postoperative DASI. There was overall improvement in postoperative functional recovery reflected by median preoperative and postoperative DASI scores of 29 and 46, P<0.001, respectively. Neither indexed orifice area, P=0.94, nor standardized orifice size, P=0.96, was associated with functional recovery. Female sex, increasing age, elevated serum creatinine, increased central venous pressure, and red blood cell transfusion were factors associated with poor postoperative functional recovery. CONCLUSIONS: A majority of patients report improvement in functional quality of life early after AVR. Similar functional recovery was demonstrated for patients along the full spectrum of valve sizes indexed to body size, even for values considered to represent severe mismatch for patient size. Factors other than prosthesis-patient size influence functional quality of life early after AVR.

The effect of bilateral internal thoracic artery grafting on survival during 20 postoperative years.

BACKGROUND: To compare survival of patients receiving bilateral internal thoracic artery grafts and single internal thoracic artery grafts more than 20 postoperative years, assess magnitude of benefit, and identify predictors of benefit. METHODS: From cohorts of 8123 patients receiving single internal thoracic artery grafts and 2001 receiving bilateral internal thoracic artery grafts during primary isolated bypass operations for multivessel coronary disease between 1971 and 1989, we identified 1152 propensity-matched pairs. Mean follow-up of survivors was 16.5 years, with 51 patients followed for 20 years or more. Hazard function methodology was used to identify risk factors for mortality, compare survival, and assess magnitude of benefit. RESULTS: Comparison of the matched pairs showed survival of the bilateral internal thoracic artery and single internal thoracic artery groups at 7, 10, 15, and 20 years was 89% versus 87%, 81% versus 78%, 67% versus 58%, and 50% versus 37%, respectively (p < 0.0001). Divergence of bilateral internal thoracic artery and single internal thoracic artery hazard function curves continued to widen through 20 postoperative years. At 20 years, bilateral internal thoracic artery grafting was predicted to produce worse survival in 2.8% of patients, a survival advantage of less than 5% in 12.9%, greater than 10% in 52%, and greater than 15% in 7.6%. Combinations of cardiac and noncardiac descriptors were used to define higher and lower risk patient subsets. Advanced age, abnormal left ventricular function and noncardiac risk factors decreased overall survival but the incremental benefit of bilateral internal thoracic artery grafting persisted. CONCLUSIONS: Bilateral internal thoracic artery grafting produces improved survival compared with single internal thoracic artery grafting during the second postoperative decade, and the magnitude of that benefit increases through 20 postoperative years.

Health-related quality of life after coronary artery bypass grafting: a gender analysis using the Duke Activity Status Index.

OBJECTIVE: Our objectives were to document the preoperative and postoperative functional status of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting, to examine factors that influence functional recovery, and to determine whether gender differences exist in the preoperative and postoperative functional status with the Duke Activity Status Index. METHODS: One thousand eight hundred twenty-five patients undergoing isolated coronary artery bypass grafting had baseline and follow-up quality-of-life surveys. Mean follow-up from baseline to postoperative Duke Activity Status Index was 8.0 months for women and men. The influence of 47 variables, in addition to baseline scores on postoperative functional status, was examined with logistic ordinal modeling. An ordinal model for the follow-up score was determined by means of backward selection, with variables retained if they satisfied the criterion of a P value of less than.05. RESULTS: Median baseline Duke Activity Status Index scores (women, 21.5; men, 32.2; P <.001) and first follow-up scores (women, 42.7; men, 58.2; P <.001) were lower in women than in men. Patients who were older and those who had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, myocardial infarction, stroke, diabetes, vascular disease, postoperative serious infection, and return to the operating room had lower postoperative scores. After adjusting for these factors, women still had lower follow-up scores (odds ratio for men, 2.1 [95% confidence interval, 1.7-2.6]; P <.001). CONCLUSIONS: A number of preoperative factors, operative variables, and postoperative events are associated with functional recovery after coronary revascularization. In addition, female gender is associated with more postoperative functional impairment after adjusting for these perioperative variables.