Impact of body mass index on outcome in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting and/or valve replacement surgery

Objective

This study aimed to analyze the impact of body mass index on outcomes of 101 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting, valve replacement, or combined valve/ coronary artery bypass grafting surgery in a private hospital in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

Methods

This was a prospective cross-sectional study of patients undergoing cardiac surgery from May 2009 to December 2012. All patients were followed up from the first day of admission until discharge or death. Patients were divided into three groups according to BMI: normal weight, overweight, and obese. The main outcome measure was the association between BMI and postoperative morbidities and mortality.

Results

Multivariate analysis identified obesity as an independent predictor of increased risk of surgical reintervention (odds ratio [OR] 13.6; 95%CI 1.1 - 162.9; P=0.046) and reduced risk of bleeding (OR 0.05; 95% CI 0.09 - 0.69; P=0.025). Univariate analysis showed that obesity was associated with increased frequency of wound dehiscence (P=0.021). There was no association between BMI and other complications or mortality in univariate analysis. There was also no association between body mass index and duration of cardiopulmonary bypass, aortic clamping, mechanical ventilation, and intensive care unit or hospital stay.

Conclusion

Obese individuals undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting, valve replacement, or combined surgery have a higher postoperative risk of surgical reintervention and lower chances of bleeding.     

Sex Differences in Mortality After CABG Surgery

INTRODUCTION

Numerous studies have shown that women undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery present higher mortality rate during hospitalization, and often complications when compared to men.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the mortality of men and women undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery and identify factors related to differences occasionally found.

METHODS

Retrospective cohort study conducted with 215 consecutive patients who underwent coronary bypass surgery.

RESULTS

Women had a higher average age. Low body surface and dyslipidemia were more prevalent in women (1.65 vs. 1.85, P <0.001: 53% vs. 30%, P =0.001), whereas history of smoking and previous myocardial infarction were more prevalent in men (35% vs.14.7%, P =0.001; 20% vs. 2.7%, P =0.007). Regarding complications in the postoperative period, there was a higher rate of blood transfusions in women. The overall mortality rate was 5.6%, however there was no statistically significant difference in mortality between men and women. It was observed that among the patients who died, the average body surface area was lower than that of patients who did not have this complication.

CONCLUSION

There was no difference in mortality between the sexes after coronary artery bypass graft in this service.     

EuroSCORE II and the importance of a local model,InsCor and the future SP-SCORE

Introduction

The most widely used model for predicting mortality in cardiac surgery was recently remodeled, but the doubts regarding its methodology and development have been reported.

Objective

The aim of this study was to assess the performance of the EuroSCORE II to predict mortality in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafts or valve surgery at our institution.

Methods

One thousand consecutive patients operated on coronary artery bypass grafts or valve surgery, between October 2008 and July 2009, were analyzed. The outcome of interest was in-hospital mortality. Calibration was performed by correlation between observed and expected mortality by Hosmer Lemeshow. Discrimination was calculated by the area under the ROC curve. The performance of the EuroSCORE II was compared with the EuroSCORE and InsCor (local model).

Results

In calibration, the Hosmer Lemeshow test was inappropriate for the EuroSCORE II (P=0.0003) and good for the EuroSCORE (P=0.593) and InsCor (P=0.184). However, the discrimination, the area under the ROC curve for EuroSCORE II was 0.81 [95% CI (0.76 to 0.85), P<0.001], for the EuroSCORE was 0.81 [95% CI (0.77 to 0.86), P<0.001] and for InsCor was 0.79 [95% CI (0.74-0.83), P<0.001] showing up properly for all.

Conclusion

The EuroSCORE II became more complex and resemblance to the international literature poorly calibrated to predict mortality in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafts or valve surgery at our institution. These data emphasize the importance of the local model.     

Performance of InsCor and three international scores in cardiac surgery at Santa Casa de Marília

Objective

To apply and to compare the Society of Thoracic Surgery score (STS), EuroSCORE (Eurosc1), EuroSCORE II (Eurosc2) and InsCor (IS) for predicting mortality in patients undergoing to coronary artery bypass graft and/or valve surgery at the Santa Casa Marilia.

Methods

The present study is a cohort. It is a prospective, observational, analytical and unicentric. We analyzed 562 consecutive patients coronary artery bypass graft and/or valve surgery, between April 2011 and June 2013 at the Santa Casa Marilia. Mortality was calculated for each patient through the scores STS, Eurosc1, Eurosc2 and IS. The calibration was calculated using the Hosmer Lemeshow test and discrimination by ROC curve.

Results

The hospital mortality was 4,6%. The calibration is generally adequate group P =0.345, P =0.765, P =0.272 and P =0.062 for STS, Eurosc1, Eurosc2, and IS respectively. The discriminatory power of STS score 0.649 (95% CI 0.529 to 0.770, P =0.012), Eurosc1 0.706 (95% CI 0.589 to 0.823, P ≤0.001), Eurosc2 was 0.704 (95% CI 0.590-0.818 P =0.001) and InsCor 0.739 (95% CI 0.638 to 0.839, P ≤0.001).

Conclusion

We can say that overall, the InsCor was the best model, mainly in the discrimination of the sample. The InsCor showed good accuracy, in addition to being effective and easy to apply, especially by using a smaller number of variables compared to the other models.     

Predictors of stroke in patients undergoing cardiac surgery

Objective

To determine the risk factors related to the development of stroke in patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

Methods

A historical cohort study. We included 4626 patients aged > 18 years who underwent coronary artery bypass surgery, heart valve replacement surgery alone or heart valve surgery combined with coronary artery bypass grafting between January 1996 and December 2011. The relationship between risk predictors and stroke was assessed by logistic regression model with a significance level of 0.05.

Results

The incidence of stroke was 3% in the overall sample. After logistic regression, the following risk predictors for stroke were found: age 50-65 years (OR=2.11 - 95% CI 1.05-4.23 - P=0.036) and age >66 years (OR=3.22 - 95% CI 1.6-6.47 - P=0.001), urgent and emergency surgery (OR=2.03 - 95% CI 1.20-3.45 - P=0.008), aortic valve disease (OR=2.32 - 95% CI 1.18-4.56 - P=0.014), history of atrial fibrillation (OR=1.88 - 95% CI 1.05-3.34 - P=0.032), peripheral artery disease (OR=1.81 - 95% CI 1.13-2.92 - P=0.014), history of cerebrovascular disease (OR=3.42 - 95% CI 2.19-5.35 - P<0.001) and cardiopulmonary bypass time > 110 minutes (OR=1.71 - 95% CI 1.16-2.53 - P=0.007). Mortality was 31.9% in the stroke group and 8.5% in the control group (OR=5.06 - 95% CI 3.5-7.33 - P<0.001).

Conclusion

The study identified the following risk predictors for stroke after cardiac surgery: age, urgent and emergency surgery, aortic valve disease, history of atrial fibrillation, peripheral artery disease, history of cerebrovascular disease and cardiopulmonary bypass time > 110 minutes.     

Acute kidney injury based on KDIGO (Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes) criteria in patients with elevated baseline serum creatinine undergoing cardiac surgery

Introduction

Preoperatively elevated serum creatinine (SCr) is considered an independent risk factor for morbidity and mortality after cardiac surgery. The aim of this study was to apply the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes classification for acute kidney injury in a population of patients with preoperatively elevated serum creatinine who underwent cardiac surgery (coronary artery bypass grafting or cardiac valve surgery) and to evaluate the acute worsening of renal function as a predictor of 30-day mortality.

Methods

This was a single-center retrospective study that included patients from the Postoperative Cardiac Surgery Intensive Care Unit of the Hospital de Base, São José do Rio Preto Medical School. Demographics, type of surgery, laboratory data and pre, peri and postoperative data were obtained from a prospectively collected database. From January 2003 to June 2013, 2,878 patients underwent cardiac surgery, either coronary artery bypass grafting or cardiac valve surgery, at the Hospital de Base of São José do Rio Preto Medical School. Out of those, 918 showed elevated preoperative serum creatinine, with SCr > 1.30 mg/dL for men and > 1.00 mg/dL for women. Five hundred and forty nine patients (60%) undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting and 369 patients (40%) undergoing cardiac valve surgery. A Multivariate Cox Proportional Hazard Model (stepwise) was used to assess the relationship between AKI and mortality at 30 days.

Results

Out of the 918 patients studied, 391 (43%) had postoperative AKI: 318 (35%) had Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes stage 1, 27 (2.9%) had Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes stage 2, and 46 (5.0%) had Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes stage 3. Patients in every stage of acute kidney injury showed progressive increase in EuroSCORE values, 30-day mortality ratescardiopulmonary bypass duration, and intensive care length of stay. Among patients classified as Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes stage 3, 76% required dialysis with a 30-day mortality of 66%. The Cox proportional hazards model showed that the hazard ratio for 30-day mortality was 4.8 for Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes stage 1 patients, 13.5 for Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes stage 2 patients, and 20.8 for Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes stage 3 patients (P<0.001 for all). Subgroup analyses (coronary artery bypass grafting and cardiac valve surgery) had similar results.

Conclusion

In this population, acute kidney injury based on the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes criteria was a powerful predictor of 30-day mortality in patients with elevated preoperative serum creatinine who underwent cardiac surgery (coronary artery bypass grafting or cardiac valve surgery).     

Implantation of transcatheter aortic valve prosthesis through the ascending aorta concomitant with coronary artery bypass grafting without cardiopulmonary bypass

Introdution

The transcatheter aortic valve implantation in the treatment of high-risk symptomatic aortic stenosis has increased the number of implants every year. The learning curve for transcatheter aortic valve implantation has improved since the last 12 years, allowing access alternatives.

Objective

The aim of this study is to approach the implantation of transcatheter aortic valve through transaortic via associated with off-pump cardiopulmonary bypass surgery in a 67-year-old man, with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, arterial hypertension and kidney transplant.

Methods

Off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery was performed and the valve in the aortic position was released successfully.

Results

There were no complications in the intraoperative and postoperative period. Gradient reduction, effective orifice increasing of the prosthesis and absence of valvular regurgitation after implantation were observed by transesophageal echocardiography.

Conclusion

Procedural success demonstrates that implantation of transcatheter aortic valve through the ascending aorta associated with coronary artery bypass surgery without CPB is a new option for these patients.     

The effect of gender on the early results of coronary artery bypass surgery in the younger patients' group

Introduction

In this retrospective study, we aimed to determine the risk factors for coronary artery bypass surgery in patients under 45 years of age, and evaluate the early postoperative results and the effect of gender.

Methods

A total of 324 patients under 45 years of age who undergone on-pump coronary artery bypass surgery between April 12, 2004 and January 10, 2012 were included to the study. Patients divided into groups as follows: Group 1 consisted of 269 males (mean age 41.3), Group 2 consisted of 55 females (mean age 41.6). Preoperative risk factors, intraoperative and postoperative data and early mortality rates of the groups were compared.

Results

Smoking rate was significantly higher in Group 1. Diabetes mellitus incidence and body mass index were significantly higher in Group 2 (P values P=0.01; P=0.0001; P=0.04 respectively). The aortic cross-clamping and cardiopulmonary bypass time and number of grafts per patient were significantly higher in Group 1 (P values P=0.04; P=0.04; P=0.002 respectively). There were no deaths in either group.

Conclusion

We found that gender has no effect on early mortality rates of the coronary bypass surgery patients under 45 years.     

Safety and efficiency assessment of training Canadian cardiac surgery residents to perform aortic valve surgery

Background

Research has demonstrated equivalent patient safety outcomes for various cardiac procedures when the primary surgeon was a supervised trainee. However, cardiac surgery cases have become more complex, and the Canadian cardiac surgery education model has undergone some changes. We sought to compare patient safety and efficiency of aortic valve replacement (AVR) between Canadian patients treated by senior cardiac trainees and those treated by certified cardiac surgeons.

Methods

We completed a single-centre, case-matched, prospectively collected and retrospectively analyzed study of AVR. Patients were matched between trainees and consultants for age, sex, New York Heart Association and Canadian Cardiovascular Society status, urgency of operation and diabetes status.

Results

We analyzed 1102 procedures: 624 isolated AVRs and 478 AVRs with coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). For isolated AVR, there was no significant difference in 30-d mortality (p = 0.13) or in major adverse events (p = 0.38) between the groups. In the AVR+CABG group, there was no significant difference in 30-day mortality (p = 0.10) or in the rates of major adverse events (p = 0.37) between the groups. Secondary outcomes (hospital and intensive care unit lengths of stay, valve size and type) did not differ significantly between the groups for isolated AVR or AVR+CABG.

Conclusion

Despite a higher-risk patient population and changes in the cardiac surgery training model, it appears that outcomes are not negatively affected when a senior trainee acts as the primary surgeon in cases of AVR.     

Nebivolol in preventing atrial fibrillation following coronary surgery in patients over 60 years of age

Objective

Postoperative atrial fibrillation is a common complication after cardiac surgery, with an incidence as high as 20-50%. Increased age is associated with a significant increase in postoperative atrial fibrillation risk. This common complication is associated with higher morbidity and mortality rates. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of nebivolol in preventing atrial fibrillation following coronary artery bypass surgery in patients over 60 years of age.

Methods

In this prospective randomized study, 200 patients who were candidates for elective coronary artery bypass surgery were divided into two groups. The first group was administered with nebivolol and the second group was administered with metoprolol. Treatment was initiated four days prior to surgery, and patients were monitored for atrial fibrillation until discharge. Forty-one patients recieved 50 mg metoprolol succinate daily, which was initiated minimum 4 days before surgery.

Results

Demographic data were similar in both groups. The incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation in both groups was similar, with no significant difference being identified [n=20 (20%); n=18 (18%), P=0.718; respectively]. There were not any mortality at both groups during study. Inotropic agent requirement at ICU was similar for both groups [n=12 (12%), n=18 (18%), P=0.32].

Conclusion

We compared the effectiveness of nebivolol and metoprolol in decreasing the incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation, and determined that nebivolol was as effective as metoprolol in preventing postoperative atrial fibrillation at patients. Nebivolol may be the drug of choice due to its effects, especially after elective coronary artery bypass surgery.     

Experimental Study and Early Clinical Application Of a Sutureless Aortic Bioprosthesis

INTRODUCTION

The conventional aortic valve replacement is the treatment of choice for symptomatic severe aortic stenosis. Transcatheter technique is a viable alternative with promising results for inoperable patients. Sutureless bioprostheses have shown benefits in high-risk patients, such as reduction of aortic clamping and cardiopulmonary bypass, decreasing risks and adverse effects.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to experimentally evaluate the implantation of a novel balloon-expandable aortic valve with sutureless bioprosthesis in sheep and report the early clinical application.

METHODS

The bioprosthesis is made of a metal frame and bovine pericardium leaflets, encapsulated in a catheter. The animals underwent left thoracotomy and the cardiopulmonary bypass was established. The sutureless bioprosthesis was deployed to the aortic valve, with 1/3 of the structure on the left ventricular face. Cardiopulmonary bypass, aortic clamping and deployment times were recorded. Echocardiograms were performed before, during and after the surgery. The bioprosthesis was initially implanted in an 85 year-old patient with aortic stenosis and high risk for conventional surgery, EuroSCORE 40 and multiple comorbidities.

RESULTS

The sutureless bioprosthesis was rapidly deployed (50-170 seconds; average=95 seconds). The aortic clamping time ranged from 6-10 minutes, average of 7 minutes; the mean cardiopulmonary bypass time was 71 minutes. Bioprostheses were properly positioned without perivalvar leak. In the first operated patient the aortic clamp time was 39 minutes and the patient had good postoperative course.

CONCLUSION

The deployment of the sutureless bioprosthesis was safe and effective, thereby representing a new alternative to conventional surgery or transcatheter in moderate- to high-risk patients with severe aortic stenosis.     

Risk factors for mortality of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery

Introduction

Coronary artery bypass grafting is a safe procedure performed worldwide with low rates of mortality and morbidity in general population.

Objective

To investigate risk factors for mortality of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting coronary artery bypass grafting surgery.

Methods

A total of 1,628 consecutive patients undergoing on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting were retrospectively studied from December 1999 to February 2012. Data analysis involved paired Student t test, Mann-Whitney test and Fisher’s exact test for the categorical data. Logistic regression, Odds Ratio and 95%CI were used for definition of risk factors for mortality.

Results

Of a total of 1,628 patients undergoing on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting, 141 (8.7%) died. The following risk factors for mortality were identified after logistic regression: dialysis (OR=7.61; 95%CI 3.58-16.20), neurologic dysfunction type I (OR=4.42; 95%CI 2.48-7.81), use of IABP (OR=3.38; 95%CI 1.98-5.79), cardiopulmonary bypass time (OR=3.09; 95%CI 2.04-4.68), serum creatinine on admission and peak values > 0.4mg/dL (OR=2.67; 95%CI 1.79-4.00), age > 65 years (OR=2.31; 95%CI 1.55-3.44), and time between hospital admission and and surgical procedure (OR=1.53; 95%CI 1.03-2.27).

Conclusion

Dialysis, type I neurologic dysfunction, use of IABP, cardiopulmonary bypass time (> 115 minutes), serum creatinine on admission and peak values>0.4mg/dL, age > 65 years and time between hospital admission and surgical procedure were considered as risk factors for mortality in patients undergoing on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting surgery.     

Cardiopulmonary bypass increases the risk of vasoplegic syndrome after coronary artery bypass grafting in patients with dialysis-dependent chronic renal failure

Objective

Coronary artery bypass grafting is currently the best treatment for dialysis patients with multivessel coronary artery involvement. Vasoplegic syndrome of inflammatory etiology constitutes an important postoperative complication, with highly negative impact on prognosis. Considering that these patients have an intrinsic inflammatory response exacerbation, our goal was to evaluate the incidence and mortality of vasoplegic syndrome after myocardial revascularization in this group.

Methods

A retrospective, single-center study of 50 consecutive and non-selected dialysis patients who underwent myocardial revascularization in a tertiary university hospital, from 2007 to 2012. The patients were divided into 2 groups, according to the use of cardiopulmonary bypass or not (off-pump coronary artery bypass). The incidence and mortality of vasoplegic syndrome were analyzed. The subgroup of vasoplegic patients was studied separately.

Results

There were no preoperative demographic differences between the cardiopulmonary bypass (n=20) and off-pump coronary artery bypass (n=30) group. Intraoperative data showed a greater number of distal coronary arteries anastomosis (2.8 vs. 1.8, P<0.0001) and higher transfusion rates (65% vs. 23%, P=0.008) in the cardiopulmonary bypass group. Vasoplegia incidence was statistically higher (P=0.0124) in the cardiopulmonary bypass group (30%) compared to the off-pump coronary artery bypass group (3%). Vasoplegia mortality was 50% in the cardiopulmonary bypass group and 0% in the off-pump coronary artery bypass group. The vasoplegic subgroup analysis showed no statistically significant clinical differences.

Conclusion

Cardiopulmonary bypass increased the risk for developing postoperative vasoplegic syndrome after coronary artery bypass grafting in patients with dialysis-dependent chronic renal failure.     

Advanced age and incidence of atrial fibrillation in the postoperative period of aortic valve replacement

Objective

This study aims to describe the correlation between age and occurrence of atrial fibrillation after aortic stenosis surgery in the elderly as well as evaluate the influence of atrial fibrillation on the incidence of strokes, hospital length of stay, and hospital mortality.

Methods

Cross-sectional retrospective study of > 70 year-old patients who underwent isolated aortic valve replacement.

Results

348 patients were included in the study (mean age 76.8±4.6 years). Overall, post-operative atrial fibrillation was 32.8% (n=114), but it was higher in patients aged 80 years and older (42.9% versus 28.8% in patients aged 70-79 years, P=0.017). There was borderline significance for linear correlation between age and atrial fibrillation (P=0.055). Intensive Care Unit and hospital lengths of stay were significantly increased in atrial fibrillation (P<0.001), but there was no increase in mortality or stroke associated with atrial fibrillation.

Conclusion

Post-operative atrial fibrillation incidence in aortic valve replacement is high and correlates with age in patients aged 70 years and older and significantly more pronounced in patients aged 80 years. There was increased length of stay at Intensive Care Unit and hospital, but there was no increase in mortality or stroke. These data are important for planning prophylaxis and early treatment for this subgroup.     

Impact of type of procedure and surgeon on EuroSCORE operative risk validation

Objective

EuroSCORE has been used in cardiac surgery operative risk assessment, despite important variables were not included. The objective of this study was to validate EuroSCORE on mortality prediction in a Brazilian cardiovascular surgery center, defining the influence of type of procedure and surgical team.

Methods

Between January 2006 and June 2011, 2320 consecutive adult patients were studied. According to additive EuroSCORE, patients were divided into low risk (score<2), medium risk (3 - 5), high risk (6 - 11) and very high risk (>12). The relation between observed mortality (O) and expected mortality (E) according to logistic EuroSCORE was calculated for each of the groups, types of procedures and surgeons with > 150 operations, and analyzed by logistic regression.

Results

EuroSCORE correlated to the observed mortality (O/E=0.94; P<0.0001; area under the curve 0.78). However, it overestimated the mortality in very high risk patients (O/E=0.74; P=0.001). EuroSCORE tended to overestimate isolated myocardial revascularization mortality (O/E=0.81; P=0.0001) and valve surgery mortality (O/E=0.89; P=0.007) and it tended to underestimate combined procedures mortality (O/E=1.09; P<0.0001). EuroSCORE overestimated surgeon A mortality (O/E=0.46; P<0.0001) and underestimated surgeon B mortality (O/E=1.3; P<0.0001), in every risk category.

Conclusion

In the present population, EuroSCORE overestimates mortality in very high risk patients, being influenced by type of procedure and surgical team. The most appropriate surgical team may minimize risks imposed by preoperative profiles.     

The risk of cerebrovascular accident in patients with asymptomatic critical carotid artery stenosis who undergo open-heart surgery

Objective

To investigate whether the presence of asymptomatic critical carotid stenosis (ASCCS) increases the risk of perioperative stroke during open-heart surgery, which carries a well-established risk of cerebrovascular accidents.

Design

A case series.

Setting

A university-affiliated hospital that is a major referral centre for cardiovascular surgery.

Patients

Forty-six patients with ASCCS who underwent open-heart surgery between January 1992 and January 1996. Of this group, 27 had bilateral and 19 had unilateral critical carotid artery stenosis.

Interventions

Various cardiac procedures were performed on the 46 patients: 33 underwent coronary bypass grafting, 12 had valve replacement and 1 had heart transplantation.

Main outcome measure

Neurologic deficit.

Results

None of the patients had any perioperative neurologic deficit up to the date of discharge.

Conclusions

Cardiac procedures, without prior carotid artery surgery, can be done in patients with AS-CCS with no significant added risk of stroke. To achieve this, blood pressure should be kept stable intraoperatively, at slightly higher than normal pressure.     

Atrial Fibrillation,Neurocognitive Decline and Gene Expression After Cardiopulmonary Bypass

OBJECTIVE

Atrial fibrillation and neurocognitive decline are common complications after cardiopulmonary bypass. By utilizing genomic microarrays we investigate whether gene expression is associated with postoperative atrial fibrillation and neurocognitive decline.

METHODS

Twenty one cardiac surgery patients were prospectively matched and underwent neurocognitive assessments pre-operatively and four days postoperatively. The whole blood collected in the pre-cardiopulmonary bypass, 6 hours after-cardiopulmonary bypass, and on the 4^th postoperative day was hybridized to Affymetrix Gene Chip U133 Plus 2.0 Microarrays. Gene expression in patients who developed postoperative atrial fibrillation and neurocognitive decline (n=6; POAF+NCD) was compared with gene expression in patients with postoperative atrial fibrillation and normal cognitive function (n=5; POAF+NORM) and patients with sinus rhythm and normal cognitive function (n=10; SR+NORM). Regulated genes were identified using JMP Genomics 4.0 with a false discovery rate of 0.05 and fold change of >1.5 or <-1.5.

RESULTS

Eleven patients developed postoperative atrial fibrillation. Six of these also developed neurocognitive decline. Of the 12 patients with sinus rhythm, only 2 developed neurocognitive decline. POAF+NCD patients had unique regulation of 17 named genes preoperatively, 60 named genes six hours after cardiopulmonary bypass, and 34 named genes four days postoperatively (P<0.05) compared with normal patients. Pathway analysis demonstrated that these genes are involved in cell death, inflammation, cardiac remodeling and nervous system function.

CONCLUSION

Patients who developed postoperative atrial fibrillation and neurocognitive decline after cardiopulmonary bypass may have differential genomic responses compared to normal patients and patients with only postoperative atrial fibrillation, suggesting common pathophysiology for these conditions. Further exploration of these genes may provide insight into the etiology and improvements of these morbid outcomes.     

Use of EuroSCORE as a predictor of morbidity after cardiac surgery

Objective

To evaluate the use of the EuroSCORE as a predictor of postoperative morbidity after cardiac surgery.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed the charts of 900 patients operated on and admitted to the intensive care unit postoperatively at the Royal Portuguese Hospital of Recife. We included all patients with complete medical records, excluding those who died during surgery, underwent transplantation or correction of congenital heart disease. We evaluated the development of respiratory infection, cerebrovascular accident, and dialysis-dependent renal failure, and the EuroSCORE was compared in terms of the three complications using the Mann-Whitney test. The calibration model for predicting the morbidities being studied was evaluated using the test set of Homer-Lemeshow goodness. The accuracy of the model was assessed using the area under the ROC curve (AUROC).

Results

The model showed good calibration in predicting respiratory infection, acute renal failure and stroke (P=0.285, P=0.789, P=0.45, respectively), with good accuracy for respiratory infection (AUROC=0.710 and P<0.001) and dialysis-dependent renal failure (AUROC=0.834 and P<0.001), but no accuracy to predict stroke (AUROC=0.519). The high-risk patients were more likely to develop respiratory infection (OR=9.05, P<0.001) and dialysis-dependent renal failure (OR=39.6, P<0.001). The probability of developing respiratory infection and dialysis-dependent renal failure was less than 10% with EuroSCORE up to 7 and more than 70% with EuroSCORE greater than 15.

Conclusion

EuroSCORE proved to be a good predictor of major postoperative morbidity in cardiac surgery: respiratory and dialysis-dependent renal failure.     

Double bypass for inoperable pancreatic malignancy at laparotomy: postoperative complications and long-term outcome

INTRODUCTION

Between 4% and 13% of patients with operable pancreatic malignancy are found unresectable at the time of surgery. Double bypass is a good option for fit patients but it is associated with high risk of postoperative complications. The aim of this study was to identify pre-operatively which patients undergoing double bypass are at high risk of complications and to assess their long-term outcome.

METHODS

Of the 576 patients undergoing pancreatic resections between 2006 and 2011, 50 patients who underwent a laparotomy for a planned pancreaticoduodenectomy had a double bypass procedure for inoperable disease. Demographic data, risk factors for postoperative complications and pre-operative anaesthetic assessment data including the Portsmouth Physiological and Operative Severity Score for the enUmeration of Mortality and morbidity (P-POSSUM) and cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) were collected.

RESULTS

Fifty patients (33 men and 17 women) were included in the study. The median patient age was 64 years (range: 39–79 years). The complication rate was 50% and the in-hospital mortality rate was 4%. The P-POSSUM physiology subscore and low anaerobic threshold at CPET were significantly associated with postoperative complications (p=0.005 and p=0.016 respectively) but they were unable to predict them. Overall long-term survival was significantly shorter in patients with postoperative complications (9 vs 18 months). Postoperative complications were independently associated with poorer long-term survival (p=0.003, odds ratio: 3.261).

CONCLUSIONS

P-POSSUM and CPET are associated with postoperative complications but the possibility of using them for risk prediction requires further research. However, postoperative complications following double bypass have a significant impact on long-term survival and this type of surgery should therefore only be performed in specialised centres.