Coronary surgery for acute coronary syndrome: which determinants of outcome remain?

Utility of logistic clinical SYNTAX score in prediction of in-hospital mortality in ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients undergoing emergent coronary artery bypass graft surgery

AIM

The logistic clinical SYNTAX score (log CSS) is a combined risk scoring system including clinical and anatomic parameters; it has been found to be effective for the prediction of mortality in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in the primary treatment of acute myocardial infarction is still debated. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the utility of log CSS to stratify the risk of in-hospital mortality in acute STEMI patients undergoing emergent CABG for primary revascularization.

METHOD

In total, 88 consecutive patients with acute STEMI, who did not qualify for primary percutaneous coronary intervention and required emergent CABG were included in our study. Nine of 88 patients died during hospitalization. The study population was divided into two groups as in-hospital survivors and non-survivors. Log CSS and SYNTAX score (SS) were calculated for both groups and two groups were compared in terms of demographics, preoperative, intraoperative, postoperative characteristics, SS and log CSS.

RESULTS

Log CSS was found to be an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality, log CSS > 10.5 had 89% sensitivity, 81% specificity (area under the curve: 0.927; 95% confidence interval: 0.855-0.993). Moreover, peak troponin level was an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality. Glucose level, cardiopulmonary resuscitation before operation, glomerular filtration rate, left ventricular ejection fraction, and Killip class were significantly associated with in-hospital mortality.

CONCLUSION

Log CSS may improve the accuracy of risk assessment in patients who are undergoing emergent CABG for primary revascularization of STEMI.

Age as a Prognostic Factor in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome undergoing Urgent/Emergency Cardiac Surgery

BACKGROUND

Patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) who require urgent/emergency coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) are increasing, as is the complexity of their clinical characteristics, one of which is advanced age. We evaluated the prognostic role of age in patients undergoing urgent/emergency cardiac surgery for ACS.

METHODS

From January to December 2013, 452 consecutive patients underwent CABG at our institution. Among these, 213 presented with ACS, were enrolled in the study and divided into tertiles of age: First: 40-65 years old (n=73), Second: 66-74 (n=70), Third: 75-89 (n=70). Patients were followed post-operatively for 30 days.

RESULTS

No differences between tertiles were found for baseline clinical and angiographic characteristics. Off-pump interventions were 67.6%. Older patients more frequently required an associate intervention to CABG for a mechanical complication of ACS. Overall 30-day all-cause mortality was 4.7% (n=10); 0.6% (n=1) in patients undergoing isolated CABG (n=168, 78.9%). The STEMI diagnosis was an independent risk factor for 30-day mortality, and age was not.

CONCLUSIONS

The 30-day mortality rate of older ACS patients who undergo urgent/emergency CABG is comparable to that of younger ones. Pre-operative risk assessment should rely on evaluation of the clinical complexity of each patient independent of their chronological age, to customise the therapeutic strategy.

Patient's Perception of Stressors Associated with Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery

INTRODUCTION

Cardiac surgery, due to being associated with stressors, has many physiological, psychological, emotional, growths, and spiritual potential consequences. However, few studies have been conducted about identifying the stressors. Therefore, the objective of the study was to determine patients' perceptions of stressors associated with coronary artery bypass surgery.

METHODS

In this descriptive study during the two-month investigation, qualified patients for participation in the study (68 persons) undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery on the third to fifth postoperative day were selected and with using of Revised Cardiac Surgery Stressors Scale (RCSSS), interpersonal, intrapersonal, and extra personal stressors were determined.

RESULTS

The findings showed that intrapersonal stressors are perceived more than interpersonal and extra personal stressors by patients. In the analysis of data, the highest stressors were "pain and discomfort", "the need to have heart surgery", "death due to illness or surgery", "being away from home and work", "having chest tube".

CONCLUSION

In this study the intrapersonal stressors were perceived more than interpersonal and extra personal stressors by patients, which nurses should put emphasis on identification and elimination of intrapersonal stressors based on the needs of patients.

Long-term clinical outcomes after unprotected left main coronary artery stenting in an all-comers patient population

BACKGROUND

The goal of treating patients with coronary artery disease is to improve survival and relieve symptoms. Several studies have compared the safety and efficacy of left main coronary artery (LMCA) stenting and coronary-artery bypass grafting in case control and randomized trials.

OBJECTIVE

In this study we present the long term outcome of stenting unprotected LMCA stenosis in day to day practice in unselected patients.

METHODS

One hundred and fifty eight patients were prospectively recruited with symptomatic unprotected LMCA stenosis undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Using the euroSCORE, each patient's surgical mortality risk was estimated. Study end-points were any major adverse cardiac event (MACE) defined as cardiac death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or target lesion revascularization at follow-up with either CABG or repeat PCI.

RESULTS

The mean follow-up was 54 ± 25 months. The mean euroSCORE was 10.6 ± 13.4 (0.9-71) and the mean SYNTAX score was 39.6 ± 10.7 (10-65). The MACE rate was 11.4% at a mean follow up of 54 months. Six (3.8%) patients suffered postprocedure myocardial infarction. There were 24 (15%) deaths of which 12 were cardiac (mean euroSCORE 21.6 ± 5.5 P < 0.001). Repeat angiography was performed in 88 (55.7%) patients. Seven (4.4%) patients had in-stent restenosis; three occurred in BMS (P = 0.06). Two patients underwent revascularization with CABG and five had successful repeat PCI.

CONCLUSION

In this on-going registry of high risk patients with LMCA stenosis, stenting was found to be safe and clinically effective in maintaining event-free survival.

Immediate surgical coronary revascularisation in patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction

Background

The number of patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and being untreatable by interventional cardiologists increased during the last years. Previous experience in emergency coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in these patients spurred us towards a more liberal acceptance for surgery. Following a prospective protocol, patients were operated on and further analysed.

Methods

Within a two year interval, 127 patients (38 female, age 68±12 years, EuroScore (ES) II 6.7±7.2%) presenting with AMI (86 non-ST-elevated myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), 41 STEMI) were immediately accepted for emergency CABG and operated on within six hours after cardiac catheterisation (77% three-vessel-disease, 47% left main stem stenosis, 11% cardiogenic shock, 21% preoperative intraaortic balloon pump (IABP), left ventricular ejection fraction 48±15%).

Results

30-day-mortality was 6% (8 patients, 2 NSTEMI (2%) 6 STEMI (15%), p=0.014). Complete revascularisation could be achieved in 80% of the patients using 2±1 grafts and 3±1 distal anastomoses. In total, 66% were supported by IABP, extracorporal life support (ECLS) systems were implanted in two patients. Logistic regression analysis revealed the ES II as an independent risk factor for mortality (p<0.001, HR 1.216, 95%-CI-Intervall 1.082-1.366).

Conclusions

Quo ad vitam, results of emergency CABG for patients presenting with NSTEMI can be compared with those of elective revascularisation. Complete revascularisation obviously offers a clear benefit for the patients. Mortality in patients presenting with STEMI and cardiogenic shock is substantially high. For these patients, other concepts regarding timing of surgical revascularisation and bridging until surgery need to be taken into consideration.

Long term results of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction versus non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction after off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting: propensity score matching analysis

There is no consensus as to which acute myocardial infarction subtype poses a greater risk after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). We compared the early and the long term results of off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) between patients with STEMI (group I, n = 83), and NSTEMI (group II, n = 237). Group I had higher EuroSCORE, prevalence of emergency surgery, preoperative intra-aortic balloon pump use, preoperative emergency percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, and preoperative thrombolytic use than group II. There were no significant differences in 30-day mortality and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular event (MACCE) between groups. Overall 8-yr survival was 93% and 87% in groups I and II, respectively. Freedom from MACCE after 8 yr was 92% and 93% in groups I and II, respectively. After propensity score matching analysis, there were no significant differences in preoperative parameters, postoperative in-hospital outcomes, and long-term clinical outcomes. Surgical results of OPCAB in patients with acute myocardial infarction show good results in terms of long-term survival and freedom from MACCE, with no significant differences in clinical outcomes between STEMI and NSTEMI groups.

Apoptosis during CABG surgery with the use of cardiopulmonary bypass is prominent in ventricular but not in atrial myocardium

Objectives. We aimed to compare the rate of apoptosis after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and cardioplegic arrest during coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery between atrial and ventricular tissue.Methods. During CABG surgery with CPB and cardioplegic arrest, sequential biopsies were taken from the right atrial appendage and left ventricular anterior wall before CPB and after aortic cross clamp release. Change in number of apoptotic cells and biochemical markers of myocardial ischaemia and renal dysfunction were assessed.Results. CPB was associated with a transient small, but significant increase in CK (1091+/-374%), CK-MB (128+/-38%), troponin-T (102+/-13%) and NT-proBNP (1308+/-372%) levels (all: p<0.05). A higher number of apoptotic cells as assessed by caspase-3 staining was found in the ventricular biopsies taken after aortic cross clamp release compared with the biopsies taken before CPB (5.3+/-0.6 vs. 14.0+/-1.5 cells/microscopic field, p<0.01). The number of apoptotic cells in the atrial appendage was not altered during CPB. Correlation between the duration of aortic cross clamp time and the change in caspase-3 positive cells in the left ventricular wall was of borderline significance (r of 0.58, p=0.08). Similar results were obtained from TUNEL staining for apoptosis.Conclusion. CABG surgery with CPB and cardioplegic arrest is associated with an elevated rate of apoptosis in ventricular but not in atrial myocardial tissue. Ventricular tissue may be more sensitive to detect changes than atrial tissue, and may be more useful to investigate the protective effects of therapeutic intervention. (Neth Heart J 2010;18:236-42.).

EuroSCORE overestimates the risk of cardiac surgery: results from the national registry of the German Society of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery

OBJECTIVE

The EuroSCORE risk stratification model has been developed in 1995 and is still widely used to assess individual patient risk prior to cardiac surgery. Furthermore, the score advanced to a decision tool to determine so-called "high-risk patients" and in consequence serves as an important selection criterion in new technologies, such as the catheter-based aortic valve replacement. Several studies with relatively small patient numbers showed a substantial overestimation of risk by the EuroSCORE. The aim of our study was to evaluate whether the nationwide data support this finding.

METHODS

A subgroup of the registry of the German Society of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery from 2006 and 2007, with 32,806 patients undergoing isolated coronary surgery and isolated aortic valve replacement was investigated.

RESULTS

The overall hospital mortality in isolated coronary surgery in this patient cohort (n = 26,501 patients) was 2.6% (n = 695). The overall hospital mortality in isolated aortic valve replacement in this patient cohort (n = 6,305 patients) was 3.9% (n = 245). The logistic EuroSCORE predicted a proportion of 5.2% for patients with isolated CABG and 7.3% for patients with isolated aortic valve replacement. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.77 for isolated CABG procedures and 0.69 for isolated valve procedures, supporting the substantial lack of predictive value of the EuroSCORE.

CONCLUSION

The logistic EuroSCORE insufficiently evaluates the risk of the current patient population and therefore should be carefully used as a tool for important therapeutic decision-making.