Coronary Artery Disease: Smith PK

Patel MR, Dehmer GJ, Hirshfeld JW, Smith PK, Spertus JA. · Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA. · Circulation. · Pubmed #19131581 No free full text.

Abstract: The American College of Cardiology Foundation (ACCF), Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, Society of Thoracic Surgeons, and the American Association for Thoracic Surgery, along with key specialty and subspecialty societies, conducted an appropriateness review of common clinical scenarios in which coronary revascularization is frequently considered. The clinical scenarios were developed to mimic common situations encountered in everyday practice and included information on symptom status, extent of medical therapy, risk level as assessed by noninvasive testing, and coronary anatomy. Approximately 180 clinical scenarios were developed by a writing committee and scored by a separate technical panel on a scale of 1 to 9. Scores of 7 to 9 indicate that revascularization was considered appropriate and likely to improve health outcomes or survival. Scores of 1 to 3 indicate revascularization was considered inappropriate and unlikely to improve health outcomes or survival. The mid range (4 to 6) indicates a clinical scenario for which the likelihood that coronary revascularization would improve health outcomes or survival was considered uncertain. For the majority of the clinical scenarios, the panel only considered the appropriateness of revascularization irrespective of whether this was accomplished by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG). In a select subgroup of clinical scenarios in which revascularization is generally considered appropriate, the appropriateness of PCI and CABG individually as the primary mode of revascularization was considered. In general, the use of coronary revascularization for patients with acute coronary syndromes and combinations of significant symptoms and/or ischemia was viewed favorably. In contrast, revascularization of asymptomatic patients or patients with low-risk findings on noninvasive testing and minimal medical therapy were viewed less favorably. It is anticipated that these results will have an impact on physician decision making and patient education regarding expected benefits from revascularization and will help guide future research.

Patel MR, Dehmer GJ, Hirshfeld JW, Smith PK, Spertus JA, Masoudi FA, Brindis RG, Beckman KJ, Chambers CE, Ferguson TB, Garcia MJ, Grover FL, Holmes DR, Klein LW, Limacher M, Mack MJ, Malenka DJ, Park MH, Ragosta M, Ritchie JL, Rose GA, Rosenberg AB, Shemin RJ, Weintraub WS, Wolk MJ, Allen JM, Douglas PS, Hendel RC, Peterson ED. · Division of Cardiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA. · Catheter Cardiovasc Interv. · Pubmed #19127535 No free full text.

Abstract: The American College of Cardiology Foundation (ACCF), Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, Society of Thoracic Surgeons, and the American Association for Thoracic Surgery, along with key specialty and subspecialty societies, conducted an appropriateness review of common clinical scenarios in which coronary revascularization is frequently considered. The clinical scenarios were developed to mimic common situations encountered in everyday practice and included information on symptom status, extent of medical therapy, risk level as assessed by noninvasive testing, and coronary anatomy. Approximately 180 clinical scenarios were developed by a writing committee and scored by a separate technical panel on a scale of 1 to 9. Scores of 7 to 9 indicate that revascularization was considered appropriate and likely to improve health outcomes or survival. Scores of 1 to 3 indicate revascularization was considered inappropriate and unlikely to improve health outcomes or survival. The mid range (4 to 6) indicates a clinical scenario for which the likelihood that coronary revascularization would improve health outcomes or survival was considered uncertain. For the majority of the clinical scenarios, the panel only considered the appropriateness of revascularization irrespective of whether this was accomplished by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG). In a select subgroup of clinical scenarios in which revascularization is generally considered appropriate, the appropriateness of PCI and CABG individually as the primary mode of revascularization was considered. In general, the use of coronary revascularization for patients with acute coronary syndromes and combinations of significant symptoms and/or ischemia was viewed favorably. In contrast, revascularization of asymptomatic patients or patients with low-risk findings on noninvasive testing and minimal medical therapy were viewed less favorably. It is anticipated that these results will have an impact on physician decision making and patient education regarding expected benefits from revascularization and will help guide future research.

Smith PK. · No affiliation provided · J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. · Pubmed #19379965 No free full text.

This publication has no abstract.

Smith PK. · No affiliation provided · Ann Thorac Surg. · Pubmed #19379858 No free full text.

This publication has no abstract.

Taggart DP, Kaul S, Boden WE, Ferguson TB, Guyton RA, Mack MJ, Sergeant PT, Shemin RJ, Smith PK, Yusuf S. · Department of Cardiac Surgery, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom. · J Am Coll Cardiol. · Pubmed #18308155 No free full text.

Abstract: For coronary artery disease with unprotected left main stem (LMS) stenosis, coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is traditionally regarded as the "standard of care" because of its well-documented and durable survival advantage. There is now an increasing trend to use drug-eluting stents for LMS stenosis rather than CABG despite very little high-quality data to inform clinical practice. We herein: 1) evaluate the current evidence in support of the use of percutaneous revascularization for unprotected LMS; 2) assess the underlying justification for randomized controlled trials of stenting versus surgery for unprotected LMS; and 3) examine the optimum approach to informed consent. We conclude that CABG should indeed remain the preferred revascularization treatment in good surgical candidates with unprotected LMS stenosis.

Smith PK, Datta SK, Muhlbaier LH, Samsa G, Nadel A, Lipscomb J. · Division of Thoracic Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA. · Ann Thorac Surg. · Pubmed #14759451 No free full text.

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The full kallikrein-inhibiting dose of aprotinin has been shown to reduce blood loss, transfusion requirements, and the systemic inflammatory response associated with cardiopulmonary bypass graft surgery (CABG). A half-dose regimen, although having a reduced delivery cost, inhibits plasmin and fibrinolysis without substantially effecting kallikrein-mediated inflammation associated with bypass surgery. The differing pharmacologic effects of the two regimens impact the decision-making process. The current study assessed the medical cost offset of full-dose and half-dose aprotinin from short- and long-term perspectives to provide a rational decision-making framework for clinicians. METHODS: To estimate CABG admission costs, resource utilization and clinical data from aprotinin clinical trials were combined with unit costs estimated from a Duke University-based cost model. Lifetime medical costs of stroke and acute myocardial infarction were based on previous research. RESULTS: Relative to placebo, the differences in total perioperative cost for primary CABG patients receiving full-dose or half-dose aprotinin were not significant. When lifetime medical costs of complications were considered, total costs in full-dose and half-dose aprotinin-treated patients were not different relative to that of placebo. Total perioperative cost was significantly lower for repeat CABG patients treated with aprotinin, with savings of $2,058 for full-dose and $2,122 for half-dose patients when compared with placebo. Taking lifetime costs of stroke and acute myocardial infarction into consideration, the cost savings estimates were $6,044 for full-dose patients and $4,483 for half-dose patients, due to substantially higher lifetime stroke costs incurred by the placebo patients. CONCLUSIONS: Using this cost model, use of full-dose and half-dose aprotinin in primary CABG patients was cost neutral during hospital admission, whereas both dosing regimens were significantly cost saving in reoperative CABG patients. Additional lifetime cost savings were realized relative to placebo due to reduced complication costs, particularly with the full-dose regimen. As the full kallikrein-inhibiting dose of aprotinin has been shown to be safe and effective, the current results support its use in both primary and repeat CABG surgery. No demonstrable economic advantage was observed with the half-dose aprotinin regimen.

Turer AT, Mahaffey KW, Honeycutt E, Tuttle RH, Shaw LK, Sketch MH, Smith PK, Califf RM, Alexander JH. · Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA. · J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. · Pubmed #19464466 No free full text.

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: We examined the effect of body mass index on the association between revascularization strategy and survival in patients with coronary artery disease. METHODS: Using the Duke Database for Cardiovascular Disease, we selected 22,877 patients who underwent cardiac catheterization from January 1986 to August 2004 and were found to have significant coronary artery disease. Patients were categorized into three coronary disease management groups: no revascularization, percutaneous coronary intervention, and coronary artery bypass surgery. Propensity scoring was used to control for coronary artery revascularization strategy. The relationship between body mass index, coronary disease treatment, and survival was assessed via Cox multivariable models adjusting for baseline demographic, clinical, and angiographic characteristics. RESULTS: The median body mass index was 27.2 kg/m(2) (24.4-30.4) in the overall cohort, 27.1 kg/m(2) (24.1-30.3) in the no revacularization group, 27.4 kg/m(2) (24.8-30.9) in the percutaneous intervention group, and 26.9 kg/m(2) (24.4-30.1) in the coronary bypass group. Body mass index was a significant, but weak, predictor of revascularization, with higher indexes predicting lower rates of coronary bypass. Thirty-day survival did not differ across body mass indexes among treatment groups, but survival curves appeared to separate over longer-term follow-up. An inverted U-shaped survival function was noted across all time points after 30 days, with the lowest risk of death at a body mass index of approximately 26 kg/m(2) (independent of revascularization strategy). Coronary bypass was associated with the highest survival at all later time points, whereas no revascularization was associated with the lowest. CONCLUSIONS: Extremes of body mass index are associated with lower long-term survival in patients with significant coronary disease. Revascularization, particularly with coronary bypass, is consistently associated with the best survival across the spectrum of body mass indexes.

Kim JH, Newby LK, Clare RM, Shaw LK, Lodge AJ, Smith PK, Jolicoeur EM, Rao SV, Becker RC, Mark DB, Granger CB. · Department of Medicine, Stanford University Medical Center, Palo Alto, CA, USA. · Am Heart J. · Pubmed #19061702 No free full text.

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Short-term use of clopidogrel plus aspirin among patients with acute coronary syndrome reduces ischemic events, but concerns about coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery-related bleeding limit its early use. METHODS: Using data from 4,794 consecutive CABG procedures in the Duke Databank for Cardiovascular Disease (January 1999 to December 2003), we developed multivariable models for associations with CABG-related bleeding defined as reoperation for bleeding, red cell transfusion, and a composite of reoperation/transfusion/hematocrit drop>or=15%. We examined clopidogrel use<or=5 days versus no clopidogrel<or=5 days before CABG in each model. Models were adjusted for propensity for clopidogrel use<or=5 days. RESULTS: Of 4,794 CABG patients, 332 (6.9%) received clopidogrel<or=5 days before CABG, 127 (2.6%) had reoperation for bleeding, 3,277 (68.4%) received red cell transfusion, and 4,387 (91.5%) had the composite outcome. After adjustment, clopidogrel use<or=5 days was not significantly associated with reoperation (odds ratio [OR] 1.24, 95% CI 0.63-2.41) or the composite end point (OR 1.23, 95% CI 0.72-2.10). Clopidogrel<or=5 days was modestly associated with red cell transfusion (OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.04-1.89) but more weakly than other factors, including which surgeon performed the procedure. CONCLUSION: Clopidogrel administration<or=5 days before CABG was not significantly associated with reoperation for bleeding or a bleeding composite, and only weakly with red cell transfusion after surgery. The impact of withholding clopidogrel acutely in those for whom clopidogrel has proven benefits and the impact of delaying CABG to prevent bleeding among patients treated with clopidogrel should be viewed in the context of other stronger determinants of bleeding.

Milano CA, Daneshmand MA, Rankin JS, Honeycutt E, Williams ML, Swaminathan M, Linblad L, Shaw LK, Glower DD, Smith PK. · Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA. · Ann Thorac Surg. · Pubmed #18721554 No free full text.

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR) has an adverse prognosis, but survival characteristics and management are controversial. This study reviewed a 20-year series of IMR patients managed with multiple approaches to assess and refine surgical strategies. METHODS: Patients having surgery for primary coronary disease from 1986 to 2006 were divided into group 1 (no IMR; bypass grafting only; n = 16,209), group 2a (IMR; bypass only; n = 3,181), group 2b (IMR; mitral repair; n = 416), and group 2c (IMR; mitral replacement; n = 106). Cox proportional hazards modeling adjusted for baseline differences, and therapeutic adequacy was quantified by area under each survival curve expressed as a percentage of group 1. RESULTS: Group 2 patients were older than group 1 patients and had worse baseline characteristics. Group 2a had less severe MR and group 2b had the most comorbidity. Assuming group 1 provided the best adjusted outcome at a given baseline risk, group 2a achieved 97.7%, 2b achieved 93.7%, and 2c achieved 79.1% of potential survival (hazard ratio 1.1, 1.4, and 1.6, respectively; p < 0.003). Most of the survival difference was perioperative. CONCLUSIONS: Worse baseline risk is a major factor reducing long-term survival in IMR. Current algorithms in which mild to moderate IMR is managed with bypass only (group 2a) generally produced good late results. In patients with moderate and severe IMR, repair achieved 93.7% of full survival potential; valve replacement was less satisfactory, primarily owing to higher operative mortality. Future therapeutic refinement, emphasizing reparative procedures and better perioperative care, could enhance the surgical prognosis of IMR.

Mehta RH, Honeycutt E, Shaw LK, Milano CA, Smith PK, Harrington RA, Sketch MH. · Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, North Carolina, USA. · Am J Cardiol. · Pubmed #17996515 No free full text.

Abstract: Differences in the clinical and angiographic factors associated with short- and long-term outcomes in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) are less known. Accordingly, differences were examined in clinical and angiographic correlates of short- and long-term mortality after CABG in 8,229 patients undergoing initial CABG enrolled in the Duke Cardiovascular Disease Database (1995 to 2002). Logistic regression and Cox proportional hazard modeling were performed to determine independent correlates of 30-day and long-term mortality. Death occurred in 2.4% at 30 days and 17.6% beyond 30 days at a median follow-up of 6 years in patients who underwent CABG. Multivariable models identified older age, lower left ventricular ejection fraction, lower or higher body mass index, cerebrovascular disease, lack of internal mammary artery use, and lower cholesterol to be associated with increased risk of both events. Although hemodynamic status (preoperative myocardial infarction, New York Heart Association class, and cardiogenic shock), female gender, and minority race were associated with 30-day death; co-morbid conditions (serum creatinine, chronic lung disease, diabetes, previous heart failure, peripheral vascular disease, and left main disease) were associated with increased long-term (beyond 30 days) death (c indexes 0.76 and 0.79 for the short- and long-term mortality models, respectively). In conclusion, our study suggested that correlates of acute and long-term death were different in patients undergoing CABG. These differences should be kept in context when counseling patients undergoing CABG and may help facilitate targeted strategies to improve short- and long-term mortality risks after CABG.

Smith PK, Califf RM, Tuttle RH, Shaw LK, Lee KL, Delong ER, Lilly RE, Sketch MH, Peterson ED, Jones RH. · Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA. · Ann Thorac Surg. · Pubmed #16996946 No free full text.

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Treatment of coronary artery disease (CAD) is evolving with better medications, improvements in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and enhanced techniques for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). METHODS: In this study, 18,481 patients with significant (>75% stenosis) CAD treated at a single center between 1986 and 2000 were assigned to one of three groups based on initial treatment strategy: medical therapy (MED) (n = 6862), PCI (n = 6292), or CABG (n = 5327). Each group was categorized into 3 groups according to baseline severity of CAD: low-severity (predominantly 1-vessel), intermediate-severity (predominantly 2-vessel), and high-severity (all 3-vessel), and prospectively evaluated in Cox models for all-cause mortality adjusted for cardiac risk, comorbidity, and propensity for selection of a specific treatment. Treatments were compared for the entire period and three eras (1: 1986 to 1990; 2: 1991 to 1995; 3: 1996 to 2000), the last encompassing widespread availability of PCI with stenting. RESULTS: Survival significantly improved in all groups for all degrees of CAD, despite increasing severity of illness. Revascularization strategies provided significant survival over MED with 8.1, 10.6, and 23.6 additional months per 15 years of follow-up for low-severity, intermediate-severity, and high-severity CAD, respectively. Therapeutic improvements led to increased survival of 5.3 additional months per 7 years of follow-up (95% confidence interval, 0.2 to 10.2; p = 0.039) in era 3 for CABG compared with PCI for high-severity CAD. CONCLUSIONS: Initial revascularization strategies result in significant survival advantage over MED for all CAD levels. Patients with high-severity CAD have reduced survival with PCI compared with those initially treated with CABG.

Mehta RH, Honeycutt E, Peterson ED, Granger CB, Halabi AR, Shaw LK, Smith PK, Califf RM, Harrington RA, Sketch MH. · Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Duke University Medical Center and Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, NC, USA. · Circulation. · Pubmed #16820607 links to  free full text

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The influence of an internal mammary artery (IMA) graft on long-term outcomes after percutaneous saphenous vein graft (SVG) intervention is currently unknown. METHODS AND RESULTS: To examine the impact of IMA on outcomes in patients undergoing SVG interventions, we analyzed 2119 patients from the Duke Cardiovascular Disease Database (1986-2003) with prior coronary artery bypass surgery undergoing cardiac catheterization who had at least 1 SVG graft. Patients were categorized into 4 groups: group I, SVG intervention and patent IMA; group II, no SVG intervention and patent IMA; group III, SVG intervention without patent IMA; and group IV, no SVG intervention without patent IMA. At a median follow-up of 4.8 years (interquartile range, 2.1 to 8.8 years), adjusted survival rates in groups I, II, III, and IV were 72.8%, 72.3%, 64.5%, and 58.9%, respectively. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards modeling showed similar survival for groups I and II (P=0.63) and for groups III and IV (P=0.33). The presence of IMA graft was related to lower long-term mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 0.69; 95% CI, 0.58 to 0.82), whereas SVG intervention was not associated with long-term mortality (adjusted HR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.81 to 1.10). In contrast, the adjusted event-free rates for nonfatal myocardial infarction were lower in the SVG intervention groups (groups I and III) than in the non-SVG intervention groups (groups II and IV) (HR for SVG intervention versus no SVG intervention, 3.19; 95% CI, 2.18 to 4.66), with the presence of patent IMA conferring no significant benefit on this outcome (HR, 1.37; 95% CI, 0.91 to 2.08). CONCLUSIONS: In patients undergoing SVG interventions, survival, but not nonfatal myocardial infarction, is favorably influenced by the presence of patent IMA. In contrast, SVG intervention had no measurable survival benefit but was associated with an increased risk of nonfatal myocardial infarction.

Xiong GL, Jiang W, Clare R, Shaw LK, Smith PK, Mahaffey KW, O'Connor CM, Krishnan KR, Newby LK. · Department of Internal Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA. · Am J Cardiol. · Pubmed #16784918 No free full text.

Abstract: Depression is increasingly recognized as an independent prognostic risk factor in patients with coronary artery disease and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) for depression in patients with cardiac disease is becoming more prevalent. We examined the long-term outcomes of patients on SSRIs before CABG. We prospectively examined collected data in the Duke Databank for Cardiovascular Disease from January 1, 1999 to December 31, 2003. The median and maximum follow-up periods were 3 and 6 years, respectively. We screened patients who underwent CABG (n = 5,364) and excluded those who underwent simultaneous CABG and valvular surgery (n = 570). SSRI antidepressants included fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, sertraline, citalopram, escitalopram, venlafaxine, and clomipramine, and their use was determined from the inpatient pharmacy records during the index hospitalization. Outcomes included event-free survival from all-cause mortality, rehospitalization, and a composite end point of all-cause mortality or rehospitalization. Of 4,794 CABG-only patients, 246 (5.1%) took SSRIs before CABG. The SSRI group had a higher prevalence of diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral vascular disease, and previous cardiovascular intervention. After adjustment for baseline differences, patients on SSRIs before CABG had increased risks of mortality, rehospitalization, and the composite end point (hazard ratio 1.61, 95% confidence interval 1.17 to 2.21, p = 0.003; hazard ratio 1.52, 95% confidence interval 1.30 to 1.77, p <0.0001; and hazard ratio 1.46, 95% confidence interval 1.26 to 1.70, p <0.0001, respectively). In conclusion, SSRI use before CABG was associated with a higher risk of long-term post-CABG mortality and rehospitalization. The explanation behind these findings requires further research.

Halabi AR, Alexander JH, Shaw LK, Lorenz TJ, Liao L, Kong DF, Milano CA, Harrington RA, Smith PK. · Division of Cardiology, Duke University Medical Center and Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, North Carolina, USA. · Am J Cardiol. · Pubmed #16253593 No free full text.

Abstract: Up to 20% of saphenous vein grafts (SVGs) fail within 2 years of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The long-term effects of early SVG failure on major clinical events remain undefined in contemporary patient populations. We sought to examine the relation between early SVG failure and long-term outcomes after CABG. Using the Duke Cardiovascular Databank, we examined baseline clinical and angiographic characteristics and clinical outcomes among patients who underwent catheterization 1 to 18 months after their first CABG from 1986 to 2004. Patients were classified on the basis of their worst SVG stenosis as having no (<25%), noncritical (25% to 74%), critical (75% to 99%), or occlusive (100%) SVG disease. Our primary outcome measure was the composite of death, myocardial infarction, or repeat revascularization after catheterization. Of 1,243 patients included in the analysis, 27.9% had no, 11.9% had noncritical, 20.8% had critical, and 39.3% had occlusive SVG disease. At 10 years, the corresponding adjusted composite event rates were 41.2%, 56.2%, 81.2%, and 67.1%, respectively (p <0.0001). Most events occurred immediately after catheterization in patients with critical and occlusive SVG disease and were primarily repeat revascularization. On multivariate analysis, critical, nonocclusive SVG disease was the strongest predictor of the composite outcome (hazard ratio 2.36, 95% confidence interval 2.00 to 2.79, p <0.0001). In conclusion, in contemporary clinical practice, early SVG failure is associated with worse long-term outcomes after CABG.

Williams ML, Muhlbaier LH, Schroder JN, Hata JA, Peterson ED, Smith PK, Landolfo KP, Messier RH, Davis RD, Milano CA. · Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27703, USA. · Circulation. · Pubmed #16159847 links to  free full text

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Surgeons have adopted off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) in an effort to reduce the morbidity of surgical revascularization. However, long-term outcome of OPCAB compared with conventional coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) remains poorly defined. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using logistic regression analysis and proportional hazards modeling, short-term and long-term outcomes (perioperative mortality and complications, risk-adjusted survival, and survival/freedom from revascularization) were investigated for patients who underwent OPCAB (641 patients) and CABG-cardiopulmonary bypass (5026 patients) from 1998 to 2003 at our institution. For these variables, follow-up was 98% complete. OPCAB patients were less likely to receive transfusion (odds ratio for OPCAB, 0.80; P=0.037), and there were trends toward improvement in other short-term outcomes compared with CABG-cardiopulmonary bypass. Long-term outcomes analysis demonstrated no difference in survival, but OPCAB patients were more likely to require repeat revascularization (OPCAB hazard ratio, 1.29; P=0.020). CONCLUSIONS: OPCAB patients were less likely to receive transfusion during their hospitalization for surgery but had higher risk for revascularization in follow-up. These results highlight the need for a large randomized, controlled trial to compare these 2 techniques.

Schroder JN, Williams ML, Hata JA, Muhlbaier LH, Swaminathan M, Mathew JP, Glower DD, O'Connor CM, Smith PK, Milano CA. · Division of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27703, USA. · Circulation. · Pubmed #16159834 links to  free full text

Abstract: BACKGROUND: It is unclear if mild or moderate mitral valve regurgitation (MR) should be repaired at the time of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). We sought to determine the long-term effect of uncorrected MR, measured by intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), in CABG patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: Between May 1999 and September 2003, data were gathered for 3264 consecutive patients who underwent isolated CABG and had MR graded by intraoperative TEE. MR was graded on the following 5 levels: none, trace, mild, moderate, and severe. Patients who had severe MR or who underwent mitral valve surgery were eliminated from the analysis. The remaining patients were combined into the following 3 groups: none or trace, mild, and moderate MR. Preoperative and follow-up data were 99% complete. The median length of follow-up was 3.0 years. Multivariable analysis controlling for important preoperative risk factors was performed to determine predictors of death and death/hospitalization for heart failure. Increasing MR was a risk factor for death [hazard ratio (HR), 1.44; P<0.001] and death/heart failure hospitalization (HR, 1.34; P<0.01). When patients with moderate MR were eliminated from the analysis, mild MR was a risk factor for death (HR, 1.34; P=0.011) and death/hospitalization for heart failure (HR, 1.34; P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Even mild MR, identified by intraoperative TEE, predicts worse outcomes after CABG. Revascularization alone did not eliminate the negative long-term effects of mild MR. CABG patients with uncorrected mild or moderate MR are at increased risk for death and heart-failure hospitalization; consideration for surgical repair or more aggressive medical management and follow-up is warranted.

Swaminathan M, Phillips-Bute BG, Conlon PJ, Smith PK, Newman MF, Stafford-Smith M. · Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA. · Ann Thorac Surg. · Pubmed #12963200 No free full text.

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Acute renal injury is a common serious complication of cardiac surgery. Moderate hemodilution is thought to reduce the risk of kidney injury but the current practice of extreme hemodilution (target hematocrit 22% to 24%) during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) has been linked to adverse outcomes after cardiac surgery. Therefore we tested the hypothesis that lowest hematocrit during CPB is independently associated with acute renal injury after cardiac surgery. METHODS: Demographic, perioperative, and laboratory data were gathered for 1,404 primary elective coronary bypass surgery patients. Preoperative and daily postoperative creatinine values were measured until hospital discharge per institutional protocol. Stepwise multivariable linear regression analysis was performed to determine whether lowest hematocrit during CPB was independently associated with peak fractional change in creatinine (defined as the difference between the preoperative and peak postoperative creatinine represented as a percentage of the preoperative value). A p value of less than 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Multivariable analyses including preoperative hematocrit and other perioperative variables revealed that lowest hematocrit during CPB demonstrated a significant interaction with body weight and was highly associated with peak fractional change in serum creatinine (parameter estimate [PE] = 4.5; p = 0.008) and also with highest postoperative creatinine value (PE = 0.06; p = 0.004). Although other renal risk factors were significant covariates in both models, TM50 (an index of hypotension during CPB) was notably absent. CONCLUSIONS: These results add to concerns that current CPB management guidelines accepting extreme hemodilution may contribute to postoperative acute renal and other organ injury after cardiac surgery.

O'Connor CM, Velazquez EJ, Gardner LH, Smith PK, Newman MF, Landolfo KP, Lee KL, Califf RM, Jones RH. · Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center and Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, North Carolina 27715, USA. · Am J Cardiol. · Pubmed #12106836 No free full text.

Abstract: In this observational treatment comparison in a single center over 25 years, we sought to assess long-term outcomes of coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) or medical therapy in patients with heart failure, coronary artery disease, and left ventricular systolic dysfunction. The benefit of CABG compared with medical therapy alone in these patients is a source of continuing clinical debate. This analysis considered all patients with New York Heart Association class II or greater symptoms, 1 or more epicardial coronary vessels with a > or = 75% stenosis, and a left ventricular ejection fraction <40% who underwent an initial cardiac catheterization at Duke University Medical Center from 1969 to 1994. Patients were classified into the medical therapy group (n = 1,052) or CABG group (n = 339) depending on which therapy they received within 30 days of catheterization. Cardiovascular event and mortality follow-up commenced on the day of CABG, or at catheterization plus 8 days (the mean time to CABG) for the medical therapy arm. A Cox proportional-hazards model was employed to adjust for differences in baseline characteristics. In the first 30 days from baseline, there was an interaction between treatment strategy and number of diseased vessels. Unadjusted, event-free, and adjusted survival strongly favored CABG over medical therapy after 30 days to >10 years regardless of the extent of coronary disease (p <0.001). Thus, regardless of the severity of coronary disease, heart failure symptoms, or ventricular dysfunction, CABG provides extended event-free and survival advantage over medical therapy alone in patients with an ischemic cardiomyopathy.

Saur CD, Granger BB, Muhlbaier LH, Forman LM, McKenzie RJ, Taylor MC, Smith PK. · Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA. · Am J Crit Care. · Pubmed #11153183 No free full text.

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Depressive symptoms are an independent risk factor for outcome in patients with cardiac disease, but their effect on outcome among patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting is not well understood. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether or not clinical variables including length of stay, readmission rates, and mortality are related to patients' level of depressive symptoms before and after coronary artery bypass grafting. METHODS: An observational, longitudinal design was used. The Medical Outcomes Study 36-item short-form health survey was used to collect data on depressive symptoms in 416 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. The distribution of depressive symptoms was correlated with length of stay after the procedure, readmission, and mortality. RESULTS: The level of depressive symptoms before coronary artery bypass grafting correlated with the level of depressive symptoms at 6 weeks follow-up, both for the individual items "feeling down in the dumps" (r = 0.24, P = .009) and "feeling downhearted" (r = 0.36, P < .001) and for the overall score on the Mental Health scale (r = 0.40, P < .001). Feeling down in the dumps (P = .007) and overall scores on the Mental Health scale (P = .02) were significantly related to readmission within 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: Higher levels of depressive symptoms before coronary artery bypass grafting are related to higher hospital readmission rates 6 months after the procedure. Nurses can play a pivotal role in determining which patients require evaluation, educating patients, and initiating effective treatment, which may prevent readmission related to depressive symptoms.

Alexander KP, Anstrom KJ, Muhlbaier LH, Grosswald RD, Smith PK, Jones RH, Peterson ED. · Outcomes Research and Assessment Group, Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA. · J Am Coll Cardiol. · Pubmed #10716477 No free full text.

Abstract: OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate characteristics and outcomes of patients age > or =80 undergoing cardiac surgery. BACKGROUND: Prior single-institution series have found high mortality rates in octogenarians after cardiac surgery. However, the major preoperative risk factors in this age group have not been identified. In addition, the additive risks in the elderly of valve replacement surgery at the time of bypass are unknown. METHODS: We report in-hospital morbidity and mortality in 67,764 patients (4,743 octogenarians) undergoing cardiac surgery at 22 centers in the National Cardiovascular Network. We examine the predictors of in-hospital mortality in octogenarians compared with those predictors in younger patients. RESULTS: Octogenarians undergoing cardiac surgery had fewer comorbid illnesses but higher disease severity and surgical urgency than younger patients. Octogenarians had significantly higher in-hospital mortality after cardiac surgery than younger patients: coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) only (8.1% vs. 3.0%), CABG/aortic valve (10.1% vs. 7.9%), CABG/mitral valve (19.6% vs. 12.2%). In addition, they had twice the incidence of postoperative stroke and renal failure. The preoperative clinical factors predicting CABG mortality in the very elderly were quite similar to those for younger patients with age, emergency surgery and prior CABG being the powerful predictors of outcome in both age categories. Of note, elderly patients without significant comorbidity had in-hospital mortality rates of 4.2% after CABG, 7% after CABG with aortic valve replacement (CABG/AVR), and 18.2% after CABG with mitral valve replacement (CABG/MVR). CONCLUSIONS: Risks for octogenarians undergoing cardiac surgery are less than previously reported, especially for CABG only or CABG/AVR. In selected octogenarians without significant comorbidity, mortality approaches that seen in younger patients.

Glower DD, Clements FM, Debruijn NP, Stafford-Smith M, Davis RD, Landolfo KP, Smith PK. · Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA. · Ann Thorac Surg. · Pubmed #10543561 No free full text.

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Differences in outcome after direct aortic cannulation (AORT) in the chest versus standard femoral arterial cannulation (FEM) have not been defined for minimally invasive cardiac operations utilizing the port-access approach. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed of 165 patients undergoing port-access cardiac mitral valve operation (n = 126) or coronary artery bypass grafting (n = 39). In 113 patients, FEM was used, while in 52 patients, AORT was accomplished through a port in the first intercostal space. RESULTS: AORT eliminated endoaortic balloon clamp migration (0/36 [0%] vs. 17/95 [18%]), and groin wound or femoral arterial complications (0/52 [0%] vs. 11/113 [10%]) without changing procedure times (363+/-55 vs. 355+/-70 minutes). Complications attributable to AORT were injury to the right internal mammary artery and aortic cannulation site bleeding in 1 patient each. CONCLUSIONS: Direct aortic cannulation is technically easy, allows use of an endoaortic clamp, and avoids aorto-iliac arterial disease, the groin incision, and possible femoral arterial injury associated with femoral arterial cannulation. Direct arterial cannulation should expand the pool of patients eligible for port-access operation, and may become the standard for port-access procedures.