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Changing risk of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery

^a Division of Cardio-thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Oulu University Hospital, P.O. Box 21, 90029 Oulu, Finland
^b Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland

*Corresponding author. Tel.: +358 8 315 2813/+358 40 7333973; fax: +358 8 315 2577.

E-mail address: faustobiancari{at}yahoo.it (F. Biancari).

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the changing risk of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Residents of Oulu who underwent coronary angiography and/or revascularization from 1993 to 2006 formed the basis of this community-wide study. One thousand three hundred and forty-nine consecutive patients who underwent CABG have been included in the analysis on changing operative risk and results after CABG. A significant increase in the operative risk occurred in patients who underwent CABG (mean logistic EuroSCORE in 1278 patients: 1993–1997: 3.7%; 1998–2002: 4.6%; 2003–2006: 5.4%; P<0.0001). Thirty-day mortality decreased during the last period (1993–1997: 2.5%; 1998–2002: 3.0%; 2003–2006: 1.6%; P=0.49). The area under the ROC curve of logistic EuroSCORE (1993–1997: 0.86; 1998–2002: 0.78; 2003–2006: 0.99) for prediction of 30-day postoperative mortality markedly improved during the last study period. Despite the increased operative risk, off-pump coronary surgery was associated with lower immediate postoperative mortality rates. Contrary to on-pump surgery, immediate postoperative death occurred after off-pump surgery only in patients with additive EuroSCORE 6. The results of this study suggest that improved perioperative care as well as changes in operative strategy are positively faced with the increased burden of comorbidities and operative risk of patients currently undergoing CABG.

Key Words: Coronary artery bypass surgery; Risk; Percutaneous coronary intervention.