A multi-center analysis of readmission after cardiac surgery: Experience of The Northern New England Cardiovascular Disease Study Group.

BACKGROUND: Readmissions after cardiac surgery are common and associated with increased morbidity, mortality and cost of care. Policymakers have targeted coronary artery bypass grafting to achieve value-oriented health care milestones. We explored the causes of readmission following cardiac surgery among a regional consortium of hospitals. METHODS: Using administrative data, we identified patients readmitted to the same institution within 30 days of cardiac surgery. We performed standardized review of readmitted patients' medical records to identify primary and secondary causes of readmission. We evaluated causes of readmission by procedure and tested for univariate associations between characteristics of readmitted patients and nonreadmitted patients in our clinical registry. RESULTS: Of 2218 cardiac surgery patients, 272 were readmitted to the index hospital within 30 days for a readmission rate of 12.3%. Median time to readmission was 9 days (interquartile range 4-16 days) and only 13% of patients were evaluated in-office before readmission. Readmitted patients were more likely to have had valve surgery (31.3% vs 22.7%) than patients not readmitted. Readmitted patients were also more likely to have preoperative creatinine more than or equal to 2 mg/dL (P = .015) or congestive heart failure (CHF) (P = .034), require multiple blood transfusions or sustained inotropic support (P < .001), and experience postoperative atrial fibrillation (P = .022) or renal insufficiency (P < .001). Infection (26%), pleural or pericardial effusion (19%), arrhythmia (16%), and CHF (11%) were the most common primary etiologies leading to readmission. CONCLUSIONS: Ensuring early follow-up for high-risk patient groups while improving early detection and management of the principal drivers of readmission represent promising targets for decreasing readmission rates.

Long-term outcomes of endoscopic vein harvesting after coronary artery bypass grafting.

BACKGROUND: Use of endoscopic saphenous vein harvesting has developed into a routine surgical approach at many cardiothoracic surgical centers. The association between this technique and long-term morbidity and mortality has recently been called into question. The present report describes the use of open versus endoscopic vein harvesting and risk of mortality and repeat revascularization in northern New England during a time period (2001 to 2004) in which both techniques were being performed. METHODS AND RESULTS: From 2001 to 2004, 8542 patients underwent isolated coronary artery bypass grafting procedures, 52.5% with endoscopic vein harvesting. Surgical discretion dictated the vein harvest approach. The main outcomes were death and repeat revascularization (percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass grafting) within 4 years of the index admission. The use of endoscopic vein harvesting increased from 34% in 2001 to 75% in 2004. In general, patients undergoing endoscopic vein harvesting had greater disease burden. Endoscopic vein harvesting was associated with an increased adjusted risk of bleeding requiring a return to the operating room (2.4 versus 1.7; P=0.03) but a decreased risk of leg wound infections (0.2 versus 1.1; P<0.001). Use of endoscopic vein harvesting was associated with a significant reduction in long-term mortality (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.74; 95% confidence interval, 0.60 to 0.92) but a nonsignificant increased risk of repeat revascularization (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.29; 95% confidence interval, 0.96 to 1.74). Similar results were obtained in propensity-stratified analysis. CONCLUSIONS: During 2001 to 2004 in northern New England, the use of endoscopic vein harvesting was not associated with harm. There was a nonsignificant increase in repeat revascularization, and survival was not decreased.

Does tight glucose control prevent myocardial injury and inflammation?

Hyperglycemia has been postulated to be cardiotoxic. We addressed the hypothesis that uncontrolled blood glucose induces myocardial damage in diabetic patients undergoing isolated coronary artery bypass graft surgery receiving continuous insulin infusion in the immediate postoperative period. Our primary aim was to assess the degree of tight glycemic control for each patient and to link the degree of glycemic control to intermediate outcome of myocardial damage. We prospectively enrolled 199 consecutive patients with diabetes undergoing isolated coronary artery bypass graft surgery from October 2003 through August 2005. Preoperative hemoglobin A1c and glucose measures were collected from the surgical admission. We measured biomarkers of myocardial damage (cardiac troponin I) and metabolic dysfunction (blood glucose and hemoglobin A1c) to identify a difference among patients under tight (90-100% of glucose measures < or = 150 mg/dL) or loose (<90%) glycemic control. All patients received continuous insulin infusion in the immediate postoperative period. We discovered 45.6% of the patients were in tight control. We found tight glycemic control resulted in no significant difference in troponin I release. Mean cardiac troponin I for tight and loose control was 4.9 and 8.5 (ng/mL), p value .3.We discovered patients varied with their degree of control, even with established protocols to maintain glucose levels within the normal range. We were unable to verify tight glycemic control compared to loose control was significantly associated with decreased cardiac troponin I release. Future studies are needed to evaluate the cardiotoxic mechanisms of hyperglycemia postulated in this study.

Long-term survival of the very elderly undergoing aortic valve surgery.

BACKGROUND: Increasing numbers of the very elderly are undergoing aortic valve procedures. We describe the short- and long-term survivorship for this cohort. METHODS AND RESULTS: We conducted a cohort study of 7584 consecutive patients undergoing open aortic valve surgery without (51.1%; AVR) or with (48.9%; AVR + CABG) concomitant coronary artery bypass graft surgery between November 10, 1987 through June 30, 2006. Patient records were linked to the Social Security Administration's Death Master File. Survivorship was stratified by age and concomitant CABG surgery. During 39 835 person-years of follow-up, there were 2877 deaths. Among AVR, there were 3304 patients <80 years of age, 419 patients 80 to 84 years, and 156 patients > or =85 years (24 patients >90 years). Among AVR+CABG patients, there were 2890 patients <80 years of age, 577 patients 80 to 84 years, and 238 patients > or =85 years (22 patients >90 years). Median survivorship for patients undergoing isolated AVR was 11.5 years (<80 years), 6.8 years (80 to 84 years), 6.2 years (> or =85 years); for patients undergoing AVR+CABG, median survivorship was 9.4 years (<80 years), 6.8 years (80 to 84 years), and 7.1 years (> or =85 years). Among both procedures, adjusted survivorship was significantly different across strata of age (P<0.001). These findings are similar to life expectancy of the general population from actuarial tables: 80 to 84 years (7 years) and > or =85 years (5 years). CONCLUSIONS: Survivorship among octogenarians is favorable, with more than half the patients surviving more than 6 years after their surgery. Concomitant CABG surgery does not diminish median survivorship among patients >80 years of age.

Using biomarkers to improve the preoperative prediction of death in coronary artery bypass graft patients.

The current risk prediction models for mortality following coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery have been developed on patient and disease characteristics alone. Improvements to these models potentially may be made through the analysis of biomarkers of unmeasured risk. We hypothesize that preoperative biomarkers reflecting myocardial damage, inflammation, and metabolic dysfunction are associated with an increased risk of mortality following CABG surgery and the use of biomarkers associated with these injuries will improve the Northern New England (NNE) CABG mortality risk prediction model. We prospectively followed 1731 isolated CABG patients with preoperative blood collection at eight medical centers in Northern New England for a nested case-control study from 2003-2007. Preoperative blood samples were drawn at the center and then stored at a central facility. Frozen serum was analyzed at a central laboratory on an Elecsys 2010, at the same time for Cardiac Troponin T, N-Terminal pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide, high sensitivity C-Reactive Protein, and blood glucose. We compared the strength of the prediction model for mortality using multivariable logistic regression, goodness of fit and tested the equality of the receiving operating characteristic curve (ROC) area. There were 33 cases (dead at discharge) and 66 randomly matched controls (alive at discharge).The ROC for the preoperative mortality model was improved from .83 (95% confidence interval: .74-.92) to .87 (95% confidence interval: .80-.94) with biomarkers (p-value for equality of ROC areas .09). The addition of biomarkers to the NNE preoperative risk prediction model did not significantly improve the prediction of mortality over patient and disease characteristics alone. The added measurement of multiple biomarkers outside of preoperative risk factors may be an unnecessary use of health care resources with little added benefit for predicting in-hospital mortality.

The association of perioperative red blood cell transfusions and decreased long-term survival after cardiac surgery.

BACKGROUND: Exposure to red blood cell (RBC) transfusions has been associated with increased mortality after cardiac surgery. We examined long-term survival for cardiac surgical patients who received one or two RBC units during index hospitalization. METHODS: Nine thousand seventy-nine consecutive patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft, valve, or coronary artery bypass graft/valve surgery at eight centers in northern New England during 2001-2004 were examined after exclusions. A probabilistic match between the regional registry and the Social Security Administration's Death Master File determined mortality through June 30, 2006. Cox Proportional Hazard and propensity methods were used to calculate adjusted hazard ratios. RESULTS: Thirty-six percent of patients (n = 3254) were exposed to one or two RBC units. Forty-three percent of RBCs were given intraoperatively, 56% in the postoperative period and 1% were preoperative. Patients transfused were more likely to be anemic, older, smaller, female and with more comorbid illness. Survival was significantly decreased for all patients exposed to 1 or 2 U of RBCs during hospitalization for cardiac surgery compared with those who received none (P < 0.001). After adjustment for patient and disease characteristics, patients exposed to 1 or 2 U of RBCs had a 16% higher long-term mortality risk (adjusted hazard ratios = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.01-1.34, P = 0.035). CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to 1 or 2 U of RBCs was associated with a 16% increased hazard of decreased survival after cardiac surgery.

Accepted but Unacceptable: Peripheral IV Catheter Failure: 2019 Follow-up.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Still considered a "hot topic" 4 years later, JIN is pleased to reprint this classic article from May/June 2015, Issue 3. Since publication, "Accepted but Unacceptable: Peripheral IV Catheter Failure" has been downloaded nearly 400 times and cited dozens of times in other related research. Based on these data, we asked the lead author to update readers on the status of catheter failure and what has been improved since 2015.

Accepted but Unacceptable: Peripheral IV Catheter Failure.

Peripheral intravenous (IV) catheter insertion, the most common invasive hospital procedure performed worldwide, is associated with a variety of complications and an unacceptably high overall failure rate of 35% to 50% in even the best of hands. Catheter failure is costly to patients, caregivers, and the health care system. Although advances have been made, analysis of the mechanisms underlying the persistent high rate of peripheral IV failure reveals opportunities for improvement.

Multivariable prediction of renal insufficiency developing after cardiac surgery.

BACKGROUND: Renal insufficiency after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery is associated with increased short-term and long-term mortality. We hypothesized that preoperative patient characteristics could be used to predict the patient-specific risk of developing postoperative renal insufficiency. METHODS AND RESULTS: Data were prospectively collected on 11,301 patients in northern New England who underwent isolated CABG surgery between 2001 and 2005. Based on National Kidney Foundation definitions, moderate renal insufficiency was defined as a GFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m2 and severe renal insufficiency as a GFR <30. Patients with at least moderate renal insufficiency at baseline were eliminated from the analysis, leaving 8363 patients who became our study cohort. A prediction model was developed to identify variables that best predicted the risk of developing severe renal insufficiency using multiple logistic regression, and the predictive ability of the model quantified using a bootstrap validated C-Index (Area Under ROC) and Hosmer-Lemeshow statistic. Three percent of the patients with normal renal function before CABG surgery developed severe renal insufficiency (229/8363). In a multivariable model the preoperative patient characteristics most strongly associated with postoperative severe renal insufficiency included: age, gender, white blood cell count >12,000, prior CABG, congestive heart failure, peripheral vascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, and preoperative intraaortic balloon pump. The predictive model was significant with chi2 150.8, probability value <0.0001. The model discriminated well, ROC 0.72 (95%CI: 0.68 to 0.75). The model was well calibrated according to the Hosmer-Lemeshow test. CONCLUSIONS: We developed a robust prediction rule to assist clinicians in identifying patients with normal, or near normal, preoperative renal function who are at high risk of developing severe renal insufficiency. Physicians may be able to take steps to limit this adverse outcome and its associated increase in morbidity and mortality.

Perioperative increases in serum creatinine are predictive of increased 90-day mortality after coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

BACKGROUND: Impaired renal function after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery is a key risk factor for in-hospital mortality. However, perioperative increases in serum creatinine and the association with mortality has not been well-studied. We assessed the hypothesis that perioperative increases in creatinine are associated with increased 90-day mortality. METHODS AND RESULTS: We studied 1391 patients in northern New England undergoing CABG in 2001 and evaluated preoperative and postoperative creatinine. Patients with preoperative dialysis were excluded. Data were linked to the National Death Index to assess 90-day survival. Kaplan-Meier and log-rank techniques were used. Patients were stratified by percent increase in creatinine from baseline: <25%, 25% to 49%, 50% to 99%, > or =100%. We assessed 90-day survival and calculated adjusted hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for creatinine groups, adjusting for age and sex. Patients with the largest creatinine increases (50% to 99% or > or =100%) had significantly higher 90-day mortality compared with patients with a smaller increase (<50%; P<0.001). Adjusted HR and 95% CI confirmed patients in the higher 2 groups had an increased risk of mortality compared with the <25% (referent); however, the 25% to 49% group was not different from the referent: 1.80 (95% CI: 0.73 to 4.44), 6.57 (95% CI, 3.03 to 14.27), and 22.10 (95% CI, 11.25 to 43.39). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with large creatinine increases (> or = 50%) after CABG surgery have a higher 90-day mortality compared with patients with small increases. Efforts to identify patients with impaired renal function and to preserve renal function before cardiac surgery may yield benefits for patients in the future.

Intraoperative red blood cell transfusion during coronary artery bypass graft surgery increases the risk of postoperative low-output heart failure.

BACKGROUND: Hemodilutional anemia during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is associated with increased mortality during coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. The impact of intraoperative red blood cell (RBC) transfusion to treat anemia during surgery is less understood. We examined the relationship between anemia during CPB, RBC transfusion, and risk of low-output heart failure (LOF). METHODS AND RESULTS: Data were collected on 8004 isolated CABG patients in northern New England between 1996 and 2004. Patients were excluded if they experienced postoperative bleeding or received > or = 3 units of transfused RBCs. LOF was defined as need for intraoperative or postoperative intra-aortic balloon pump, return to CPB, or > or = 2 inotropes at 48 hours. Having a lower nadir HCT was also associated with an increased risk of developing LOF (adjusted odds ratio, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.82 to 0.92; P=0.016), and that risk was further increased when patients received RBC transfusion. When adjusted for nadir hematocrit, exposure to RBC transfusion was a significant, independent predictor of LOF (adjusted odds ratio, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.00 to 1.61; P=0.047). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we observed that exposure to both hemodilutional anemia and RBC transfusion during surgery are associated with increased risk of LOF, defined as placement of an intraoperative or postoperative intra-aortic balloon pump, return to CPB after initial separation, or treatment with > or = 2 inotropes at 48 hours postoperatively, after CABG. The risk of LOF is greater among patients exposed to intraoperative RBCs versus anemia alone.

Comparing long-term survival of patients with multivessel coronary disease after CABG or PCI: analysis of BARI-like patients in northern New England.

BACKGROUND: Randomized trials comparing coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) with percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs) for patients with multivessel coronary disease (MVD) report similar long-term survival for CABG and PCI. These studies used a highly selected population of patients and providers, and their results may not be generalizable to actual care. Our goal in this study was to compare long-term survival of MVD patients treated with CABG vs PCI in contemporary practice. METHODS AND RESULTS: From our northern New England registries of consecutive coronary revascularizations, we identified 10,198 CABG and 4,295 PCI patients with MVD who may have been eligible for either procedure between 1994 and 2001. Vital status was obtained by linkage to the National Death Index. Proportional-hazards regression was used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) for survival in CABG vs PCI patients after adjustment for comorbidities and disease characteristics. CABG patients were older; had more comorbidities, more 3-vessel disease, and lower ejection fractions; and were more completely revascularized. Adjusted long-term survival for patients with 3-vessel disease was better after CABG than PCI (HR, 0.60; P<0.01) but not for patients with 2-vessel disease (HR, 0.98; P=0.77). The survival advantage of CABG for 3-vessel disease patients was present in all patient populations, including women, diabetics, and the elderly and in the era of high stent utilization. CONCLUSIONS: In contemporary practice, survival for patients with 3-vessel coronary disease is better after CABG than PCI, an observation that patients and physicians should carefully consider when deciding on a revascularization strategy.

The preoperative intraaortic balloon pump in coronary bypass surgery: a lack of evidence of effectiveness.

BACKGROUND: There is limited evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of preoperative intraaortic balloon pump (IABP) use in isolated coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. A single-center randomized trial demonstrated its benefit. We undertook a multicenter observational study to verify this finding. METHODS: In 29,950 consecutive patients undergoing isolated CABG between 1995 and 2000 at 10 centers, we compared patients with and without a preoperative IABP. We also compared the effect of preoperative IABP use within 7 high-risk clinical subgroups. To validate the previous randomized trial, patients with any 2 of the following were also analyzed: left main > 70%, ejection fraction < 40%, redo CABG, or preoperative intravenous nitroglycerin. RESULTS: Preoperative IABPs were used in 1896 patients (6.3%). These patients had more comorbid conditions and a higher crude mortality than those who did not have preoperative IABPs (9.5% vs 2.3%, P < .0001). Preoperative IABP patients were caliper matched to non-preoperative IABP patients using a propensity score. Excess mortality associated with preoperative IABP persisted (9.2% vs 5.8%, P = .0004). In 7 high-risk subgroups, mortality was significantly higher with preoperative IABP. We used propensity caliper matching to compare preoperative IABP with non-preoperative IABP patients who met trial criteria (n = 4332). Preoperative IABP was associated with higher mortality (11.0% vs 6.5%, P = .0009). Removing emergency patients did not alter results. CONCLUSIONS: Use of preoperative IABPs was consistently associated with higher mortality. Despite detailed statistical analysis, we were unable to show benefit from preoperative IABP use or confirm the results of a single-center trial that demonstrated its benefit. Assessment of preoperative IABP efficacy will require a randomized trial.

Accepted but unacceptable: peripheral IV catheter failure.

Peripheral intravenous (IV) catheter insertion, the most common invasive hospital procedure performed worldwide, is associated with a variety of complications and an unacceptably high overall failure rate of 35% to 50% in even the best of hands. Catheter failure is costly to patients, caregivers, and the health care system. Although advances have been made, analysis of the mechanisms underlying the persistent high rate of peripheral IV failure reveals opportunities for improvement.

A multicenter comparison of intraaortic balloon pump utilization in isolated coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

BACKGROUND: Single-center studies suggest substantial variation in intraaortic balloon pump (IABP) utilization. Our purpose is to examine IABP utilization over time and across medical centers. METHODS: This was a prospective cohort of 29,961 consecutive patients undergoing isolated coronary artery bypass graft surgery, between 1995 and 2000, at 10 centers (eight in northern New England and two in Canada). RESULTS: A total of 2,678 (8.9%) patients received an IABP. The rate of preoperative IABP insertion was 6.3%, and that of intra- or postoperative insertion was 2.6%. During the 6 years, IABP use increased from 7.0% to 10.3% (p(trend) <0.001). Preoperative IABP insertion increased from 5.4% to 7.8% (p(trend) < 0.001). There was no significant increase in intra-/postoperative IABP insertion 1.7% to 3.4% (p(trend) = 0.34). Adjustment for changes in patient and disease characteristics did not substantially alter these results. The rate of IABP use varied substantially by center, from 5.9% to 16.4% (p < 0.001). Adjustment for patient and disease characteristics resulted in variation from 4.8% to 12.8% across the 10 centers (p < 0.001). The adjusted rates of preoperative IABP insertion varied from 3.6% to 13.7% (p < 0.001), and the rates of intra-/postoperative IABP insertion ranged from 1.0% to 5.2% (p < 0.001). There was no significant correlation between the rates of preoperative and intra-/postoperative IABP use (r(s) = 0.085, p = 0.815). CONCLUSIONS: During the 6 years, there was a 47% increase in the rate of IABP utilization. Even after adjustment, there was almost threefold variation in IABP use across centers. This variation likely reflects lack of consensus on the appropriate use of the IABP in CABG patients.

Impact of perioperative acute kidney injury as a severity index for thirty-day readmission after cardiac surgery.

BACKGROUND: Of patients undergoing cardiac surgery in the United States, 15% to 20% are re-hospitalized within 30 days. Current models to predict readmission have not evaluated the association between severity of postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) and 30-day readmissions. METHODS: We collected data from 2,209 consecutive patients who underwent either coronary artery bypass or valve surgery at 7 member hospitals of the Northern New England Cardiovascular Disease Study Group Cardiac Surgery Registry between July 2008 and December 2010. Administrative data at each hospital were searched to identify all patients readmitted to the index hospital within 30 days of discharge. We defined AKI stages by the AKI Network definition of 0.3 or 50% increase (stage 1), twofold increase (stage 2), and a threefold or 0.5 increase if the baseline serum creatinine was at least 4.0 (mg/dL) or new dialysis (stage 3). We evaluate the association between stages of AKI and 30-day readmission using multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: There were 260 patients readmitted within 30 days (12.1%). The median time to readmission was 9 (interquartile range, 4 to 16) days. Patients not developing AKI after cardiac surgery had a 30-day readmission rate of 9.3% compared with patients developing AKI stage 1 (16.1%), AKI stage 2 (21.8%), and AKI stage 3 (28.6%, p < 0.001). Adjusted odds ratios for AKI stage 1 (1.81; 1.35, 2.44), stage 2 (2.39; 1.38, 4.14), and stage 3 (3.47; 1.85 to 6.50). Models to predict readmission were significantly improved with the addition of AKI stage (c-statistic 0.65, p = 0.001) and net reclassification rate of 14.6% (95% confidence interval: 5.05% to 24.14%, p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: In addition to more traditional patient characteristics, the severity of postoperative AKI should be used when assessing a patient's risk for readmission.

Effect of preoperative pulmonary hypertension on outcomes in patients with severe aortic stenosis following surgical aortic valve replacement.

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is prevalent in patients with aortic stenosis (AS); however, previous studies have demonstrated inconsistent results regarding the association of PH with adverse outcomes after aortic valve replacement (AVR). The goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of preoperative PH on outcomes after AVR. We performed a regional prospective cohort study using the Northern New England Cardiovascular Disease Study Group database to identify 1,116 consecutive patients from 2005 to 2010 who underwent AVR ± coronary artery bypass grafting for severe AS with a preoperative assessment of pulmonary pressures by right-sided cardiac catheterization. PH was defined as a mean pulmonary artery pressure of ≥25 mm Hg, with severity based on the pulmonary artery systolic pressure-mild, 35 to 44 mm Hg; moderate, 45 to 59 mm Hg; and severe, ≥60 mm Hg. We found that PH was present in 536 patients (48%). Postoperative acute kidney injury, low-output heart failure, and in-hospital mortality increased with worsening severity of PH. In multivariate logistic regression, severe PH was independently associated with postoperative acute kidney injury (adjusted odds ratio 4.1, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.7 to 10, p = 0.002) and in-hospital mortality (adjusted odds ratio 6.9, 95% CI 2.5 to 19.1, p <0.001). There was a significant association between PH and decreased 5-year survival (adjusted log-rank p value = 0.006), with severe PH being associated with the poorest survival (adjusted hazard ratio 2.4, 95% CI 1.3 to 4.2, p = 0.003). In conclusion, severe PH in patients with severe AS is associated with increased rates of in-hospital adverse events and decreased 5-year survival after AVR.

Preoperative white blood cell count and risk of 30-day readmission after cardiac surgery.

Approximately 1 in 5 patients undergoing cardiac surgery are readmitted within 30 days of discharge. Among the primary causes of readmission are infection and disease states susceptible to the inflammatory cascade, such as diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and gastrointestinal complications. Currently, it is not known if a patient's baseline inflammatory state measured by crude white blood cell (WBC) counts could predict 30-day readmission. We collected data from 2,176 consecutive patients who underwent cardiac surgery at seven hospitals. Patient readmission data was abstracted from each hospital. The independent association with preoperative WBC count was determined using logistic regression. There were 259 patients readmitted within 30 days, with a median time of readmission of 9 days (IQR 4-16). Patients with elevated WBC count at baseline (10,000-12,000 and >12,000 mm(3)) had higher 30-day readmission than those with lower levels of WBC count prior to surgery (15% and 18% compared to 10%-12%, P = 0.037). Adjusted odds ratios were 1.42 (0.86, 2.34) for WBC counts 10,000-12,000 and 1.81 (1.03, 3.17) for WBC count > 12,000. We conclude that WBC count measured prior to cardiac surgery as a measure of the patient's inflammatory state could aid clinicians and continuity of care management teams in identifying patients at heightened risk of 30-day readmission after discharge from cardiac surgery.

Impact of preoperative left ventricular ejection fraction on long-term survival after aortic valve replacement for aortic stenosis.

BACKGROUND: The survival of patients who undergo aortic valve replacement (AVR) for severe aortic stenosis with reduced preoperative ejection fractions (EFs) is not well described in the literature. METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients undergoing AVR for severe aortic stenosis were analyzed using the Northern New England Cardiovascular Disease Study Group surgical registry. Patients were stratified by preoperative EF (≥50%, 40%-49%, and <40%) and concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting. Crude and adjusted survival across strata of EF was estimated for patients up to 8 years beyond their index admission. A total of 5277 patients underwent AVR for severe aortic stenosis between 1992 and 2008. There were 727 (14%) patients with preoperative EF <40%. Preoperative EF had minimal effect on postoperative morbidity. There was no difference in 30-day mortality across EF strata among the isolated AVR cohort. Preserved EF conferred 30-day survival benefit among the AVR+coronary artery bypass grafting population (EF≥50%, 96%; EF<40%, 91%; P=0.003). Patients with preserved EF had significantly improved 6-month and 8-year survival compared with their reduced EF counterparts. CONCLUSIONS: Survival after AVR or AVR+coronary artery bypass grafting was most favorable among patients with preoperative preserved EF. However, patients with mild to moderately depressed EF experienced a substantial survival benefit compared with the natural history of medically treated patients. Furthermore, minor reductions of EF carried equivalent increased risk to those with more compromised function suggesting patients are best served when an AVR is performed before even minor reductions in myocardial function.

Variability in surgeons' perioperative practices may influence the incidence of low-output failure after coronary artery bypass grafting surgery.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative low-output failure (LOF) is an important contributor to morbidity and mortality after coronary artery bypass grafting surgery. We sought to understand which pre- and intra-operative factors contribute to postoperative LOF and to what degree the surgeon may influence rates of LOF. METHODS AND RESULTS: We identified 11 838 patients undergoing nonemergent, isolated coronary artery bypass grafting surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass by 32 surgeons at 8 centers in northern New England from 2001 to 2009. Our cohort included patients with preoperative ejection fractions >40%. Patients with preoperative intraaortic balloon pumps were excluded. LOF was defined as the need for ≥2 inotropes at 48 hours, an intra- or post-operative intraaortic balloon pumps, or return to cardiopulmonary bypass (for hemodynamic reasons). Case volume varied across the 32 surgeons (limits, 80-766; median, 344). The overall rate of LOF was 4.3% (return to cardiopulmonary bypass, 2.6%; intraaortic balloon pumps, 1.0%; inotrope usage, 0.8%; combination, 1.0%). The predicted risk of LOF did not differ across surgeons, P=0.79, and the observed rates varied from 1.1% to 10.2%, P<0.001. Patients operated by low-rate surgeons had shorter clamp and bypass times, antegrade cardioplegia, longer maximum intervals between cardioplegia doses, lower cardioplegia volume per anastomosis or minute of ischemic time, and less hot-shot use. Patients operated on by higher LOF surgeons had higher rates of postoperative acute kidney injury. CONCLUSIONS: Rates of LOF significantly varied across surgeons and could not be explained solely by patient case mix, suggesting that variability in perioperative practices influences risk of LOF.