Alabama coronary artery bypass grafting project: results from phase II of a statewide quality improvement initiative

Data-driven coaching to improve statewide outcomes in CABG: before and after interventional study

BACKGROUND

The impact of quality improvement initiatives program (QIP) on coronary artery bypass grafting surgery (CABG) remains scarce, despite improved outcomes in other surgical areas. This study aims to evaluate the impact of a package of QIP on mortality rates among patients undergoing CABG.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This prospective cohort study utilized data from the multicenter database Registro Paulista de Cirurgia Cardiovascular II (REPLICCAR II), spanning from July 2017 to June 2019. Data from 4018 isolated CABG adult patients were collected and analyzed in three phases: before-implementation, implementation, and after-implementation of the intervention (which comprised QIP training for the hospital team). Propensity Score Matching was used to balance the groups of 2170 patients each for a comparative analysis of the following outcomes: reoperation, deep sternal wound infection/mediastinitis ≤30 days, cerebrovascular accident, acute kidney injury, ventilation time >24 h, length of stay <6 days, length of stay >14 days, morbidity and mortality, and operative mortality. A multiple regression model was constructed to predict mortality outcomes.

RESULTS

Following implementation, there was a significant reduction of operative mortality (61.7%, P =0.046), as well as deep sternal wound infection/mediastinitis ( P <0.001), sepsis ( P =0.002), ventilation time in hours ( P <0.001), prolonged ventilation time ( P =0.009), postoperative peak blood glucose ( P <0.001), total length of hospital stay ( P <0.001). Additionally, there was a greater use of arterial grafts, including internal thoracic ( P <0.001) and radial ( P =0.038), along with a higher rate of skeletonized dissection of the internal thoracic artery.

CONCLUSIONS

QIP was associated with a 61.7% reduction in operative mortality following CABG. Although not all complications exhibited a decline, the reduction in mortality suggests a possible decrease in failure to rescue during the after-implementation period.

Quality improvement program at Latin America

BACKGROUND

The current challenge of cardiac surgery (CS) is to improve outcomes in adverse scenarios. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of a quality improvement program (QIP) on hospital mortality in the largest CS center in Latin America.

METHODS

Patients were divided into two groups: before (Jan 2013-Dec 2015, n = 3534) and after establishment of the QIP (Jan 2017-Dec 2019, n = 3544). The QIP consisted of the implementation of 10 central initiatives during 2016. The procedures evaluated were isolated coronary artery bypass grafting surgery (CABG), mitral valve surgery, aortic valve surgery, combined mitral and aortic valve surgery, and CABG associated with heart valve surgery. Propensity Score Matching (PSM) was used to adjust for inequality in patients' preoperative characteristics before and after the implementation of QIP. A multivariate logistic regression model was built to predict hospital mortality and validated using discrimination and calibration metrics.

RESULTS

The PMS paired two groups using 5 variables, obtaining 858 patients operated before (non-QIP) and 858 patients operated after the implementation of the QIP. When comparing the QIP versus Non-QIP group, there was a shorter length of stay in all phases of hospitalization. In addition, the patients evolved with less anemia (P = 0.001), use of intra-aortic balloon pump (P = 0.003), atrial fibrillation (P = 0.001), acute kidney injury (P < 0.001), cardiogenic shock (P = 0.011), sepsis (P = 0.046), and hospital mortality (P = 0.001). In the multiple model, among the predictors of hospital mortality, the lack of QIP increased the chances of mortality by 2.09 times.

CONCLUSION

The implementation of a first CS QIP in Latin America was associated with a reduction in length of hospital stay, complications and mortality after the cardiac surgeries analyzed.

Association between SYNTAX II Score and late saphenous vein graft failure in patients undergoing isolated coronary artery bypass graft surgery

OBJECTIVE

Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery is a well-established treatment modality for patients with multivessel coronary artery disease (CAD). Syntax II Score has been established as novel scoring system with better prediction of postprocedural outcomes. This study aimed to investigate the prognostic value of SYNTAX II Score for predicting late saphenous vein graft (SVG) failure in patients undergoing isolated CABG.

METHODS

The records of 1,875 consecutive patients who underwent isolated CABG with at least one SVG were investigated. Those who underwent coronary angiography and SVGs angiography at least 1 year after the CABG were included. Patients were divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of SVG failure. For each group, predictors of late SVG failure and subsequent clinical outcomes were analyzed.

RESULTS

According to this study, the presence of hypertension, higher rates of repeat revascularization, and higher SYNTAX II Scores were found to be independent predictors of late SVG failure. In addition, the prognostic value of SYNTAX II Score was found to be significantly higher than anatomical SYNTAX Score in terms of predicting late SVG failure and major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular event.

CONCLUSIONS

There was a strong association between SYNTAX II Score and late SVG failure in patients undergoing isolated CABG.

Coronary artery disease performance measures and statin use in patients with recent percutaneous coronary intervention or recent coronary artery bypass grafting (from the NCDR PINNACLE registry)

The association between coronary revascularization strategy (percutaneous coronary intervention [PCI] or coronary artery bypass grafting [CABG]) and compliance with coronary artery disease (CAD) performance measures is not well studied. Our analysis studied patients enrolled in the Practice Innovation and Clinical Excellence registry, who underwent coronary revascularization using PCI or CABG in the 12 months before their most recent outpatient visit in 2011. We compared the attainment of CAD performance measures and statin use in eligible patients with PCI and CABG using hierarchical logistic regression models. Our study cohort consisted of 112,969 patients (80,753 with PCI and 32,216 with CABG). After adjustment for site and patient characteristics, performance measure compliance for tobacco use query (odds ratio [OR] 0.80; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.76 to 0.86), antiplatelet therapy (OR 0.9; 95% CI 0.86 to 0.94) and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin receptor blocker therapy (OR 0.89; 95% CI 0.84 to 0.94) was lower in CABG compared with patients with PCI. Patients who underwent recent CABG had higher rates of β-blocker (OR 1.25; 95% CI 1.16 to 1.33) and statin treatment (OR 1.37; 95% CI 1.31 to 1.43) compared with patients with PCI. Of the 79 practice sites, 15 (19%) had ≥75% of their patients with CAD (CABG or PCI) meeting 75% to 100% of all eligible CAD performance measures. In conclusion, gaps persist in compliance with specific CAD performance measures in patients with recent PCI or CABG, and 1 in 5 practices had ≥75% compliance of eligible CAD performance measures in the most of their patients.

Using risk models to improve patient selection for high-risk vascular surgery

Vascular surgeons frequently perform procedures aimed at limiting death, stroke, or amputation on patients who present with diseases such as aortic aneurysms, carotid atherosclerosis, and peripheral arterial occlusive disease. However, now more than ever surgeons must balance the potential benefits associated with these interventions with the risks of physiologic insult for these elderly patients, who often have significant comorbidity burdens and the potential for costly complications. In this paper, we highlight how regional and national datasets can help surgeons identify which patients are most likely to benefit from vascular operations and which patients are most likely to suffer complications in the postoperative period. By using these guidelines to improve patient selection, our risk models can help patients, physicians, and policymakers improve the clinical effectiveness of surgical and endovascular treatments for vascular disease.

Relationship between vein graft failure and subsequent clinical outcomes after coronary artery bypass surgery

BACKGROUND

Vein graft failure (VGF) is common after coronary artery bypass graft surgery, but its relationship with long-term clinical outcomes is unknown. In this retrospective analysis, we examined the relationship between VGF, assessed by coronary angiography 12 to 18 months after coronary artery bypass graft surgery, and subsequent clinical outcomes.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Using the Project of Ex Vivo Vein Graft Engineering via Transfection IV (PREVENT IV) trial database, we studied data from 1829 patients who underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery and had an angiogram performed up to 18 months after surgery. The main outcome measure was death, myocardial infarction, and repeat revascularization through 4 years after angiography. VGF occurred in 787 of 1829 patients (43%). Clinical follow-up was completed in 97% of patients with angiographic follow-up. The composite of death, myocardial infarction, or revascularization occurred more frequently among patients who had any VGF compared with those who had none (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.58; 95% confidence interval, 1.21-2.06; P=0.008). This was due mainly to more frequent revascularization with no differences in death (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.04; 95% confidence interval, 0.71-1.52; P=0.85) or death or myocardial infarction (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.08; 95% confidence interval, 0.77-1.53; P=0.65).

CONCLUSIONS

VGF is common after coronary artery bypass graft surgery and is associated with repeat revascularization but not with death and/or myocardial infarction. Further investigations are needed to evaluate therapies and strategies for decreasing VGF to improve outcomes in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

Postoperative inotrope and vasopressor use following CABG: outcome data from the CAPS-care study

BACKGROUND/AIM

Limited clinical data exist to guide practice patterns and evidence-based use of inotropes and vasopressors following coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

METHODS

Contemporary Analysis of Perioperative Cardiovascular Surgical Care (CAPS-Care) collected detailed perioperative data from 2390 CABG patients between 2004 and 2005 at 55 U.S. hospitals. High-risk elective or urgent CABG patients were eligible for inclusion. We stratified participating hospitals into high, medium, and low tertiles of inotrope use. Hospital-level outcomes were compared before and after risk adjustment for baseline characteristics.

RESULTS

Hospital-level risk-adjusted rates of any inotrope/vasopressor use varied from 100% to 35%. Hospitals in the highest tertile of use had more patients with mitral regurgitation compared to medium- or low-use hospitals (p < 0.001), more previous cardiovascular interventions (p = 0.002), longer cardiopulmonary bypass (p < 0.001), longer cross-clamp times (p < 0.001), and required more transfusions (p = 0.001). Despite these differences, unadjusted outcomes were similar between high-, medium-, and low-use hospitals for operative mortality (4.5% vs. 5.3% vs. 5.2%; p = 0.702), 30-day mortality (4.1% vs. 4.6% vs. 5.0%; p = 0.690), postoperative renal failure (7.2% vs. 9.2% vs. 6.6%; p = 0.142), atrial fibrillation (23.0% vs. 27.2% vs. 25.6%; p = 0.106), and acute limb ischemia (0.6% vs. 0.5% vs. 0.5%; p = 0.945). These similar outcomes persisted after risk adjustment: adjusted OR = 0.97 (95% CI [0.94, 1.00], p = 0.086) for operative mortality and adjusted OR = 1.00 (95% CI [0.96, 1.04], p = 0.974) for postoperative renal failure.

CONCLUSION

While considerable variability is present among hospitals in inotrope use following CABG, observational comparison of outcomes did not distinguish a superior pattern; thus, randomized prospective data are needed to better guide clinical practice.

Disseminating quality improvement: study protocol for a large cluster-randomized trial

Background

Dissemination is a critical facet of implementing quality improvement in organizations. As a field, addiction treatment has produced effective interventions but disseminated them slowly and reached only a fraction of people needing treatment. This study investigates four methods of disseminating quality improvement (QI) to addiction treatment programs in the U.S. It is, to our knowledge, the largest study of organizational change ever conducted in healthcare. The trial seeks to determine the most cost-effective method of disseminating quality improvement in addiction treatment.

Methods

The study is evaluating the costs and effectiveness of different QI approaches by randomizing 201 addiction-treatment programs to four interventions. Each intervention used a web-based learning kit plus monthly phone calls, coaching, face-to-face meetings, or the combination of all three. Effectiveness is defined as reducing waiting time (days between first contact and treatment), increasing program admissions, and increasing continuation in treatment. Opportunity costs will be estimated for the resources associated with providing the services.

Outcomes

The study has three primary outcomes: waiting time, annual program admissions, and continuation in treatment. Secondary outcomes include: voluntary employee turnover, treatment completion, and operating margin. We are also seeking to understand the role of mediators, moderators, and other factors related to an organization's success in making changes.

Analysis

We are fitting a mixed-effect regression model to each program's average monthly waiting time and continuation rates (based on aggregated client records), including terms to isolate state and intervention effects. Admissions to treatment are aggregated to a yearly level to compensate for seasonality. We will order the interventions by cost to compare them pair-wise to the lowest cost intervention (monthly phone calls). All randomized sites with outcome data will be included in the analysis, following the intent-to-treat principle. Organizational covariates in the analysis include program size, management score, and state.

Discussion

The study offers seven recommendations for conducting a large-scale cluster-randomized trial: provide valuable services, have aims that are clear and important, seek powerful allies, understand the recruiting challenge, cultivate commitment, address turnover, and encourage rigor and flexibility.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials. govNCT00934141

A regional quality improvement effort to increase beta blocker administration before vascular surgery

OBJECTIVE

To determine if a regional quality improvement effort can increase beta-blocker utilization prior to vascular surgery and decrease the incidence of postoperative myocardial infarction (POMI).

METHODS

A quality improvement effort to increase perioperative beta blocker utilization was implemented in 2003 at centers participating in the Vascular Study Group of New England (VSGNE). A 90% target was set and feedback given at biannual meetings. Beta blocker utilization (<1 month preoperative versus chronic) and POMI rates were prospectively collected for patients undergoing open abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair (n = 926) and lower extremity bypass (LEB; n = 2,123) from 2003 through 2008. Predictors of POMI were determined using multivariate logistic regression. Rates of beta blocker administration and POMI were analyzed over time, and across strata of patient risk based on a multivariate model.

RESULTS

Perioperative beta blocker treatment increased from 68% of patients in the first 3 months of 2005 to 88% by the last 3 months of 2008 (P < .001). In 2003, 44% of patients not on chronic beta blockers were treated with preoperative beta blockers; by 2008, 78% of patients not on chronic beta blockers were started perioperatively on these medications (P < .001). Beta blocker utilization increased across all centers and surgeons participating during the study period, and increased in patients of low, medium, and high cardiac risk. However, the rate of POMI did not change over time (5.2% in 2003, 5.5% in 2008; P = .876), although a trend towards lower POMI rate was seen in patients on preoperative beta blockers (4.4% in 2003-2005, 2.6% in 2006-2008; P = .43). In multivariable modeling we found that age >70 (odds ratio [OR], 2.1), positive stress test (OR, 2.2), congestive heart failure (CHF; OR, 1.7), chronic beta blocker administration (OR, 1.7), resting heart rate <70 (OR, 1.8), and diabetes (OR, 1.6) were associated with POMI. Resting heart rate was similar for patients on chronic (67), preoperative (70), and no beta blockers (70; P = .521).

CONCLUSIONS

Our regional quality improvement effort successfully increased perioperative beta blocker utilization. However, this was not associated with reduced rates of POMI or resting heart rate. While this demonstrates the effectiveness of regional quality improvement efforts in changing practice patterns, further work is necessary to more precisely identify those patients who will benefit from beta blockade at the time of vascular surgery.

Factors associated with death 1 year after lower extremity bypass in Northern New England

BACKGROUND

Using 30-day operative mortality reported with lower extremity bypass (LEB) in preoperative decision making may underestimate the actual death rate encountered before patients have truly recovered from surgery, especially in elderly, debilitated patients with significant tissue loss. Therefore, we examined preoperative, patient-level risk factors that predict survival within the first year following LEB.

METHODS

Using our regional quality improvement initiative in 11 hospitals in Northern New England, we studied 2306 LEB procedures performed in 2031 patients between January 2003 and December 2007. Sixty surgeons contributed to our database, and over 100 demographic and clinical variables were abstracted by trained researchers. Cox proportional hazards models were used to generate hazard ratios (HR) and surrounding 95% confidence intervals (CI) for our combined outcome measure of death occurring within the first year postoperatively.

RESULTS

We found that within our cohort of 2306 bypass procedures, 11% of patients died within 1 year of surgery (2% prior to discharge, 9% prior to 1-year follow-up). We identified six preoperative patient characteristics associated with higher risk of death in multivariate analysis: congestive heart failure (HR 1.3, 95% CI 1.0-1.8), diabetes (HR 1.5, 95% CI 1.1-2.1), critical limb ischemia (CLI) (HR 1.7, 95% CI 1.3-2.4), lack of single-segment saphenous vein (HR 1.9, 95% CI 1.5-2/5), age over 80 (HR 2.0, 95% CI 1.5-2.7), dialysis dependence (HR 2.7, 95% CI 1.9-3.6), and emergent nature of the procedure (HR 3.4, 95% CI 1.7-6.8). While patients with no risk factors had 1-year death rates that were less than 5%: patients with three or more risk factors had a 28% chance of dying before 1 year postoperatively. When we compared risk-adjusted survival across centers, we found that one center in our region performed significantly better than expected (observed-to-expected outcome ratio 0.7, 95% CI 0.6-0.9, P = .04).

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative risk factors allow surgeons to predict survival in the first year following LEB, and to more precisely inform patients about their operative risk with LEB. Additionally, our model facilitates benchmarking comparison of risk-adjusted outcomes across our region. We believe quality improvement measures such as these will allow surgeons to identify best practices and thereby improve outcomes with LEB across centers.

Factors associated with amputation or graft occlusion one year after lower extremity bypass in northern New England

BACKGROUND

Optimal patient selection for lower extremity bypass surgery requires surgeons to predict which patients will have durable functional outcomes following revascularization. Therefore, we examined risk factors that predict amputation or graft occlusion within the first year following lower extremity bypass.

METHODS

Using our regional quality-improvement initiative in 11 hospitals in northern New England, we studied 2,306 lower extremity bypass procedures performed in 2,031 patients between January 2003 and December 2007. Sixty surgeons contributed to our database, and over 100 demographic and clinical variables were abstracted by trained researchers. Cox proportional hazards models were used to generate hazard ratios and surrounding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for our combined outcome measure of major amputation (above-knee or below-knee) or permanent graft occlusion (loss of secondary patency) occurring within the first year postoperatively.

RESULTS

We found that within our cohort of 2,306 bypass procedures 17% resulted in an amputation or graft occlusion within 1 year of surgery. Of the 143 amputations performed (8% of all limbs undergoing bypasses), 17% occurred in the setting of a patent graft. Similarly, of the 277 graft occlusions (12% of all bypasses), 42% resulted in a major amputation. We identified eight preoperative patient characteristics associated with amputation or graft occlusion in multivariate analysis: age <50, nonambulatory status preoperatively, dialysis dependence, diabetes, critical limb ischemia, need for venovenostomy, tarsal target, and living preoperatively in a nursing home. While patients with no risk factors had 1-year amputation/occlusion rates that were <1%, patients with three or more risk factors had a nearly 30% chance of suffering amputation or graft occlusion by 1 year postoperatively. When we compared risk-adjusted rates of amputation/occlusion across centers, we found that one center in our region performed significantly better than expected (observed/expected ratio 0.7, 95% CI 0.6-0.9, p < 0.04).

CONCLUSION

Preoperative risk factors allow surgeons to predict the risk of amputation or graft occlusion following lower extremity bypass and to more precisely inform patients about their operative risk and functional outcomes. Additionally, our model facilitates comparison of risk-adjusted outcomes across our region. We believe quality-improvement measures such as these will allow surgeons to identify best practices and thereby improve outcomes across centers.

Increasing healthcare resource utilization after coronary artery bypass graft surgery in the United States

BACKGROUND

Despite declining lengths of stay, postdischarge healthcare resource utilization may be increasing because of shifts to nonacute care settings. Although changes in hospital stay after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery have been described, patterns of discharge remain unclear. Our objective was to determine patterns of discharge disposition after CABG surgery in the United States.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We examined discharge disposition after CABG procedures from 1988 to 2005 using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample. Discharges with a "nonroutine" disposition defined patients discharged with continued healthcare needs. Multivariable regression models were constructed to assess trends and factors associated with nonroutine discharge. Median length of stay among 8,398,554 discharges decreased from 11 to 8 days between 1988 and 2005 (P<0.0001). There was a simultaneous increase in nonroutine discharges from 12% in 1988 to 45% in 2005 (P<0.0001), primarily comprising home healthcare and long-term facility use. Multivariable regression models showed age, female gender, comorbidities, concurrent valve surgery, and lower-volume hospitals more likely to be associated with nonroutine discharge.

CONCLUSIONS

We found a significant increase in nonroutine discharges after CABG surgery across the United States from 1988 to 2005. The significant shortening of length of stay during CABG may be counterbalanced by the increased requirement for additional postoperative healthcare services. Nonacute care institutions are playing an increasingly significant role in providing CABG patients with postdischarge healthcare and should be considered in investigations of postoperative healthcare resource utilization. The impact of these changes on long-term outcomes and net resource utilization remain unknown.

Atherosclerosis secondary prevention performance measures after coronary bypass graft surgery compared with percutaneous catheter intervention and nonintervention patients in the Get With the Guidelines database

BACKGROUND

The American Heart Association Get With the Guidelines-Coronary Artery Disease program facilitates patient and physician compliance with proven atherosclerosis risk reduction strategies with collaborative learning sessions, teaching materials, predischarge online check lists, and web-based performance measure feedback for continuous quality improvement. Patients having coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) may be subject to different care processes, nursing unit pathways, and personnel than patients having percutaneous catheter intervention or neither intervention, which may affect compliance.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The Get With the Guidelines-Coronary Artery Disease database was queried to determine whether compliance with secondary prevention performance measures for CABG patients was different from that for nonsurgical patients. A total of 119,106 patients were treated with CABG (14,118), percutaneous catheter intervention (58,702), or neither intervention (46,286). Compliance with medication prescriptions, including aspirin, beta-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, and lipid-lowering drugs, and smoking cessation counseling for eligible patients was analyzed. Medically appropriate exclusions and contraindications were included in the analysis. After adjusting for 14 clinical variables, CABG patients were less likely to receive most secondary prevention measures relative to percutaneous catheter intervention patients. In contrast, CABG patients were more likely to receive aspirin, beta-blocker, and smoking cessation counseling than neither intervention patients. Composite adherence and defect-free rates were highest for percutaneous catheter intervention patients and lowest for neither intervention patients after adjustment.

CONCLUSIONS

There are significant differences in compliance at hospital discharge with secondary prevention performance measures for CABG patients compared with nonsurgical patients. Process of care differences may explain these differences and should be examined further because significant opportunities for improved compliance are evident. CABG patients in particular represent a group for whom secondary prevention has proven benefits, and they may benefit from future quality improvement interventions.