Peripheral vascular disease as predictor of outcome after coronary artery bypass grafting

Electrocardiography is Useful to Predict Postoperative Ventricular Arrhythmia in Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery: A Retrospective Study

Background: Preoperative detection of high-/low-risk postoperative ventricular arrhythmia (POVA) patients using a noninvasive method is an important issue in the clinical setting. This study mainly aimed to determine the usefulness of several preoperative electrocardiographic (ECG) markers in the risk assessment of POVA with cardiac surgery.

Method: We enrolled 1024 consecutive patients undergoing cardiac surgery, and a total of 823 patients were included in the study. Logistic regression analysis determined preoperative ECG markers. A new risk predicting model were developed to predict occurrence of POVA, and the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was used to validate this model.

Results: Of these, 337 patients experienced POVA, and 485 patients did not experience POVA in this retrospective study. Among 15 ECG markers, a univariate analysis found a strong association between POVA and preoperative VA, the R-wave in lead aVR, the QRS wave, index of cardiac electrophysiological balance (iCEB), QT interval corrected (QTc), Tpeak–Tend interval (Tpe) in lead V2, the J wave in the inferolateral leads, pathological Q wave, and SV1+RV5>35 mm. Multivariate analysis showed that a preoperative J wave [adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 3.80; 95% CI: 1.88–7.66; p < 0.001], Tpe >112.5-ms (AOR: 2.80; 95% CI: 1.57–4.99; p < 0.001), and SV1+RV5 >35 mm (AOR: 2.92; 95% CI: 1.29–6.60; p = 0.01) were independently associated with POVA. A new risk predicting model were developed in predicting POVA.

Conclusion: The ECG biomarkers including J wave, Tpe >112.5 ms, and SV1+RV5 >35 mm were significantly predicted POVAs. A risk predicting model developed with electrocardiographic risk markers preoperatively predicted POVAs.

Are two internal thoracic grafts better than one in patients with peripheral vascular disease?

BACKGROUND

The use of two bilateral internal thoracic artery grafting (BITA) was shown to lead to survival benefit. However, operators are reluctant to use BITA with peripheral vascular disease (PVD) because of concerns of increased rates of sternal wound infection and lack of studies supporting survival benefit compared with single internal thoracic artery (SITA) grafting. The aim of this study is to compare outcome BITA grafting versus of SITA and vein grafts in PVD patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Six hundred and twenty-one PVD patients who underwent BITA between 1996 and 2011 were compared with 372 patients who underwent SITA.

RESULTS

SITA patients were older and more likely more likely to have comorbidities (female, insulin-dependent diabetes, chronic obstructive lung disease, congestive heart failure, previous coronary artery bypass grafting, renal insufficiency, cerebrovascular disease, and emergency operation). Operative mortality (5.1 vs. 4.5%, in the SITA and BITA, respectively, P=0.758), rate of sternal wound infection (5.1 vs. 3.9%, P=0.421), and strokes (4.8 vs. 7.4%, P=0.141) were not significantly different between groups. BITA patients did not have significantly better 10-year survival (52.6 vs. 45.9%, P=0.087) and after propensity score matching (302 well-matched pairs), BITA was not associated with improved survival (hazard ratio: 0.902; 95% confidence interval: 0.742-1.283; P=0.784) (Cox model).

CONCLUSION

The routine use of BITA versus SITA in PVD patients does not improve long-term survival. Selective use of BITA in lower risk patients might unmask the benefits of BITA.

Comparison of radial and bilateral internal thoracic artery grafting in patients with peripheral vascular disease†

OBJECTIVES

The composite T-graft with radial artery (RA) attached end-to-side to the left internal thoracic artery (ITA) provides arterial myocardial revascularization without the increased risk of deep sternal wound infection associated with harvesting 2 ITAs. However, many surgeons are reluctant to use RA in patients with peripheral vascular disease (PVD) due to concerns regarding the quality of the conduit in this subset of patients. The purpose of this study is to compare early- and long-term outcomes of arterial grafting with bilateral ITAs (BITA) to that of single ITA and RA in patients with PVD.

METHODS

Between 1999 and 2010, 619 consecutive patients with PVD (500 BITAs and 119 single ITA and RA) underwent myocardial revascularization in our institution.

RESULTS

Occurrence of following risk factors as female sex, age 70+, diabetes, unstable angina, emergency operation, cerebrovascular disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was higher in the RA-ITA group. The RA-ITA group also had a higher logistic EuroSCORE (22.1 vs 13.3). Operative mortality and occurrence of deep sternal wound infection of the two groups was similar (4.2% vs 5.0% and 2.5% vs 4.0% for the radial and bilateral ITA, respectively). Median follow-up was 9.75 years. Unadjusted Kaplan-Meier 10-year survival of the two groups was similar (44.1% vs 49.6%, P  = 0.7). After propensity score matching (100 pairs), assignment to BITA was not associated with better adjusted survival (hazard ratio 0.593, 95% confidence interval 0.265-1.327, P  = 0.20, Cox model).

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with PVD, complete arterial revascularization with left ITA and RA can be justified with regards to survival.

Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery Outcomes Following 6.5 Years: A Nested Case-control Study

Background:

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in worldwide. This nested case–control study investigated the predictors of death in long-term follow-up after coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG).

Methods:

Cases were defined as CABG patients who died in the period of May 2006–March 2013. Controls were CABG patients who were alive in the same period. Cases and controls were derived from an existing cohort, Tehran Heart Center-Coronary Outcome Measurement. One hundred and fifty-nine patients in control group were randomly selected from 566 available patients in follow-up database. A series of simple and multiple logistic regressions was performed in the context of univariate and multivariate analyses, respectively, for computing unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios and their confidence intervals (CI). In the univariate analyses, demographic or cardiometabolic factors were entered separately, and for multivariate analysis, we got both significant risk factors from univariate analysis and the major risk factors.

Results:

The results of multivariate analyses showed that for age, the likelihood of mortality increases in CABG patients (95%CI: 1.1; 1.03–1.2; P < 0.005). Other significant independent risk factors were peripheral vascular disease (PVD) (95%CI: 2.7; 1.06–6.8; P = 0.036), diabetics (95%CI: 2.49; 0.9–6.3; P = 0.039), smoking (95%CI: 4.38; 1.45–13.7; P = 0.011), length of stay in hospital after CABG surgery (95%CI: 1.14; 1.0–1.24; P = 0.001), total cholesterol (95%CI: 1.12; 1–1.2; P = 0.001), and C-reactive protein (CRP) (95%CI: 1.12; 0.99–1.27; P = 0.049) (all P < 0.05).

Conclusions:

The study results indicated that age, diabetes, cigarette smoking, PVD, long length of stay in hospital, elevated triglycerides, total cholesterol, CRP, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were significant contributing to increased mortality after CABG. It seems that vulnerable older patients continue to be at high risk with poor outcomes.

A retrospective review of leg wound complications after coronary artery bypass surgery

Little research or attention has been paid to finding out whether wound closure with sutures or staples attains the best outcomes after saphenous vein harvest for coronary artery bypass grafting. We undertook a quality improvement project to compare the prevalence of leg wound complications (eg, infection, seroma, hematoma, dehiscence) between two types of skin closure (ie, staples, subcuticular sutures) after conventional open surgery with bridging between incisions and vein harvesting during coronary revascularization to determine the need for practice changes. We found no significant differences between patients with wound complications and those without. However, in this project, the risk for infections was greater for patients with diabetes whose wounds were closed by using subcuticular sutures. These findings have led to practice changes for reducing leg wound complications within our institution: clinicians now assess patients for increased risk of leg wound complications preoperatively and opt to close wounds with staples for patients who have diabetes.

Prognostic value of the ankle-brachial index in elderly patients with a stable chronic cardiovascular event

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Patients with polyvascular arterial disease have a greater risk of suffering a new atherothrombotic episode than those with involvement of only one vascular territory. We have studied the predictive prognostic value of the detection of non-diagnosed peripheral arterial disease, determined by measuring the ankle-brachial index in a population of elderly patients with stable chronic cardiac or cerebrovascular disease.

METHODS

This was a multicenter, prospective cohort study with consecutive inclusion of patients between 65 and 85 years of age with a previous atherothrombotic event, but without previously established peripheral arterial disease.

RESULTS

A total of 1096 patients were evaluated during 11.7 (+ or - 2.2) months of follow-up. An ankle-brachial index of < 0.9 was observed in 29.9% and > 1.4 in 6.9%. The detection of an ankle-brachial index < 0.9 was clearly associated with the presence of a combined primary event of cardiovascular death and non-fatal cardiovascular event [HR 1.99 (95% CI, 1.49-2.66; P < 0.001)]. There was also a significant relationship between ankle-brachial index > 1.4 and total (P = 0.001) or cardiovascular (P = 0.020) deaths. The predictive value of both ranges of the ankle-brachial index was maintained after adjusting for age, sex, diabetes mellitus, vascular territory, macroalbuminuria or glomerular filtration rate.

CONCLUSIONS

The detection of non-diagnosed peripheral arterial disease in patients with stable coronary or cerebrovascular events identifies a very high risk population that might benefit from more intensive treatment.

Lower extremity peripheral arterial disease in individuals with coronary artery disease: prognostic importance, care gaps, and impact of therapy

BACKGROUND

Our objective was to examine the effect of concomitant lower extremity peripheral arterial disease (PAD) on long-term prognosis and pharmacotherapy in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).

METHODS

Prospective cohort study enrolling all patients with angiographically proven CAD between April 1, 2000, and December 31, 2004, in Alberta, Canada.

RESULTS

Of 28,649 patients (mean age 64 years) with CAD, 2509 (9%) had a physician-assigned diagnosis of lower extremity PAD. Mortality was higher in the patients with CAD and PAD over a mean follow-up of 3.1 years, even after adjusting for the fact that patients with PAD had more severe CAD and more comorbidities (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1.41, 95% CI 1.28-1.55). Fewer patients with CAD and PAD received antiplatelet agents (83% vs 86%, odds ratio 0.86, 95% CI 0.77-0.97) or beta-blockers (63% vs 67%, odds ratio 0.89, 95% CI 0.82-0.98), but users of these agents exhibited lower mortality (adjusted HR 0.68, 95% CI 0.60-0.77, for antiplatelet agents and adjusted HR 0.72, 95% CI 0.64-0.80, for beta-blockers). Approximately half of these patients were prescribed statins or angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, and 27% were using all 3 evidence-based anti-atherosclerotic therapies (antiplatelets, statin, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor).

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with CAD, lower extremity PAD is independently associated with poorer outcomes. Although all evidence-based therapies are underused in patients with CAD, patients with concomitant PAD are less likely to be prescribed antiplatelet agents or beta-blockers--both agents are associated with improved survival in patients with CAD and PAD.

Subclinical Peripheral Arterial Disease and Incompressible Ankle Arteries Are Both Long-Term Prognostic Factors in Patients Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

OBJECTIVES

This study was designed to determine the prevalence of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in candidates for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and to assess the predictive value of different types of subclinical PAD (peripheral occlusive disease and medial arterial calcification [incompressible ankle arteries]).

BACKGROUND

Observational studies report poor prognosis after CABG in the presence of clinical PAD, but data on subclinical PAD are scarce.

METHODS

We prospectively enrolled CABG candidates and measured ankle-brachial index (ABI) preoperatively. Patients were divided into four groups: clinical PAD, subclinical PAD (ABI <0.85), incompressible arteries (ABI >1.5), and no PAD. The primary end point was a composite combining death, acute coronary syndrome, stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA), and coronary or peripheral revascularization. Secondary end points were overall and cardiovascular death, acute coronary syndrome, and stroke or TIA. Statistical analyses were performed using the Cox regression model.

RESULTS

We consecutively enrolled 1,022 patients (mean age 66.9 +/- 9.2 years). In addition to the 14% with clinical PAD, we detected subclinical PAD in 13% and medial artery calcification in 12%. During an actuarial follow-up of 4.4 years, 81.2% of patients remained event-free. Adverse factors were (p < 0.05) supraventricular arrhythmia (odds ratio [OR] 2.5), ejection fraction <0.40 (OR 2.3), combined valvular surgery (OR 2.5), clinical PAD (OR 3.6), subclinical PAD (OR 3.3), and medial artery calcification (OR 1.9). The latter three factors were also independently predictive for overall and cardiovascular death.

CONCLUSIONS

Beyond clinical PAD, the measurement of ABI before coronary surgery provides substantial information on long-term postoperative prognosis. To our knowledge, this is the first study highlighting the prognostic role of incompressible ankle arteries in secondary prevention.

Usefulness of noncoronary vascular disease in predicting adverse events in the year following percutaneous coronary intervention

It is unknown whether noncoronary vascular disease is associated with persistent cardiac risk in patients who undergo percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Using the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Dynamic Registry, the incidence of death, myocardial infarction (MI), and repeat revascularization outcomes were compared in patients who had noncoronary vascular disease (n = 554) with patients who did not (n = 4,075). Vascular disease was defined as a history of stroke, transient ischemic attack, claudication, vascular bypass, limb amputation, or aortic aneurysm. Patients who had concomitant noncoronary vascular disease had more significant co-morbidities. Angiographic success rate was lower in patients who had concomitant noncoronary vascular disease (89.5% vs 93.2%, p <0.01), whereas in-hospital adverse events, including death (2.7% vs 1.3%, p <0.05), MI (4.7% vs 2.6%, p <0.01), stroke (1.1% vs 0.2%, p <0.001), major entry site complication (6.7% vs 3.5%, p <0.001), and need for coronary artery bypass grafting (2.2% vs 1.1%, p <0.05) were significantly higher. One-year death rate (10.5% vs 4.5%, p <0.001) and MI rate (9.2% vs 5.2%, p <0.001) were also significantly higher in patients who had vascular disease. After adjustment, vascular disease was independently associated with a higher risk of death or MI (risk ratio 1.4, 95% confidence interval 1.1 to 1.8) and death, MI, or coronary artery bypass grafting (risk ratio 1.3, 95% confidence interval 1.1 to 1.6) at 1 year. Repeat PCI rates were similar (15.9% vs 13.8%, p = NS). In conclusion, the presence of noncoronary vascular disease is an independent predictor of MI and death or MI 1 year after PCI. Because PCI is often performed before vascular surgery, these data may lend insight to the risk/benefit ratio of such an approach.