Clopidogrel and bleeding in patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass grafting

Objective

In an effort to minimize transfusions in patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass grafting operations after recent clopidogrel exposure, we studied laboratory tests predictive of platelet dysfunction and used a strict algorithm-driven treatment of bleeding.

Methods

Forty-five patients receiving clopidogrel within 6 days of the operation and 45 control subjects were studied. Prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, platelet count, and platelet function test results were measured before heparinization, after protamine administration, and then every 2 hours. No transfusions were administered unless a patient met both laboratory and clinical criteria.

Results

Algorithm-driven treatment of bleeding significantly reduced the mean units of all blood components transfused by about one third, as shown by comparison with current control and historical data. Compared with current control subjects, clopidogrel recipients required significantly more transfusions of platelets (9.0 ± 1.7 vs 1.2 ± 0.5 U; P < .0001) and packed red blood cells (4.3 ± 0.6 vs 2.3 ± 0.5 U; P = .01) and required longer periods of controlled ventilation (12.4 ± 1.3 vs 8.6 ± 0.8 hours; P = .02). Preoperative platelet dysfunction before heparin administration for cardiopulmonary bypass, as measured by using adenosine diphosphate aggregometry (response <40%), predicted all but 1 case of severe coagulopathy requiring multiple transfusions (16.6 ± 2.8 U of platelets and 5.8 ± 1.0 U of packed red blood cells).

Conclusions

A strict transfusion algorithm can reduce the transfusion requirement for all blood components. Preheparin testing of platelet function with adenosine diphosphate aggregometry can identify patients at highest risk for perioperative bleeding and transfusions and might further reduce the perioperative transfusion requirement.     

高龄糖尿病病人的冠状动脉旁路移植术

目的 分析高龄糖尿病病人行冠状动脉旁路移植术的疗效,探讨糖尿病对高龄冠状动脉旁路手术病人的影响.方法 649例70岁以上冠脉旁路移植病人分成糖尿病组及无糖尿病组.统计分析两组术前、术中及术后资料.结果 除糖尿病组合并左主干病变较多外,两组术前病情及手术情况未见差异,术后病死率、并发症、输血等各方面差异也未见统计学意义.结论 高龄病人行冠状动脉旁路移植手术是可行的,糖尿病病人可以获得与非糖尿病者相同的治疗效果.     

Ultrasonic evaluation of graft anastomoses during coronary artery bypass grafting without cardiopulmonary bypass

Performance of the graft-to-coronary anastomosis in coronary artery bypass grafting without cardiopulmonary bypass is more difficult than conventional coronary artery bypass grafting. We report a new method that uses high-frequency epicardial echocardiography to detect technical errors and inadequacies in graft anastomoses. This method improves the operative outcome and enables detection of septal perforator branches and deeply embedded coronary arteries during coronary artery bypass grafting without cardiopulmonary bypass.     

Long-term results of coronary artery bypass grafting in patients with renal insufficiency

BACKGROUND: There are few published studies on coronary artery bypass grafting in patients with renal insufficiency who are not on maintenance dialysis. No details of long-term results have been published. METHODS: This retrospective study focuses on 117 consecutive coronary artery bypass grafting patients with renal insufficiency, but who did not require dialysis (group B: preoperative serum creatinine level > or = 1.5 mg/dL). For comparison purposes, patients on maintenance dialysis (group C: 84 patients) and patients with normal renal function (group A: 794 patients; preoperative serum creatinine level < 1.0 mg/dL) were selected. RESULTS: Hospital mortality was 11% (13 of 117) in group B, 5.9% (5 of 84) in group C, and 1.6% (13 of 794) in group A, and between groups A and B, p < 0.0001, and between groups B and C, p = 0.24. Actuarial survival rates at 10 years, including all deaths, were 87%, 32%, and 29% in groups A, B and C, respectively, and between groups A and B, p < 0.009 and between groups B and C, p = 0.63. In 23 patients in group B, the bilateral internal thoracic artery was used. No cardiac deaths were observed in these patients during the mean follow-up time of 42 months (range, 1 to 128 months). Cox model analysis revealed nonuse of arterial grafting (p = 0.03; Hazards ratio 1.7) to be a statistically significant factor, and renal insufficiency (p < 0.0001; Hazards ratio 3.3) and maintenance dialysis (p < 0.0001; Hazards ratio 5.6) to be major independent risk factors for actuarial survival. CONCLUSIONS: Renal insufficiency was shown to be an independent risk factor for poor prognosis after coronary artery bypass grafting. However, aggressive use of arterial grafts, especially the internal thoracic artery, is recommended to improve late outcomes.     

Early postoperative outcome and medium-term survival in 540 diabetic and 2239 nondiabetic patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting

BACKGROUND: An increasing proportion of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) are diabetics. Patient characteristics, early postoperative outcome, and midterm survival in diabetic patients after CABG were investigated. METHODS: A total of 2779 consecutive patients undergoing isolated CABG during 1995 to 1999 were studied, 19.4% of whom had diabetes mellitus. Demographic and peri-procedural data were registered prospectively in a computerized institutional database. RESULTS: The diabetic group was younger and included a higher proportion of women, and patients with hypertension, triple-vessel disease, and unstable angina. They required a higher number of bypasses, and longer cross-clamp and cardiopulmonary bypass times. Intensive care unit and hospital stays were prolonged and the need for inotropic agents, hemotransfusions, and dialysis was higher in the diabetic group. Renal failure, stroke (4.3% versus 1.7%), mediastinitis, and wound infections were more frequently encountered. Thirty-day mortality was 2.6% versus 1.6% (p = 0.15). Cumulative 5-year survival was 84.4% versus 91.3% (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Short-term mortality was acceptable in diabetic patients after CABG but they had increased postoperative morbidity in comparison with nondiabetic patients, particularly with regard to renal function, cerebral complications, and infections. Midterm survival was impaired in diabetic patients mainly because of a less favorable outcome in patients treated with insulin.