Synergism between infarct-borne left ventricular dysfunction and cardiomegaly in increasing the risk of coronary bypass surgery.

The effect of cardiomegaly on operative and late mortality in patients with left ventricular dysfunction undergoing coronary bypass operation was investigated. The study group consisted of 178 patients whose left ventricular ejection fraction was below 45% and who were operated on from 1978 through 1985. Forty-five patients (group A) had severe left ventricular dysfunction (ejection fraction < 30%) and 133 (group B) had moderate dysfunction (30% > ejection fraction > 45%). Twenty-four of group A (53%) and 54 of group B (41%) patients had cardiomegaly (cardiothoracic ratio on chest x-ray films > 0.5). There were 10 (6%) hospital deaths, four in group A (9%) and six in group B (4.5%). All four deaths in group A and the six deaths in group B were patients who had cardiomegaly. Regardless of the severity of the left ventricular dysfunction, there was no operative death among patients with normal heart size (p < 0.001). Age over 65, bypass time longer than 2 hours, and incomplete revascularization emerged as risk factors. Follow-up ranged from 5 to 13 years (mean 7.8 years). Overall 5-year actuarial survival, including hospital mortality, was 80% +/- 3%. Reduced 5-year survival was observed in patients with cardiomegaly (67% +/- 5% versus 91% +/- 3%, p < 0.05). Five- and 10-year survival of patients from group A with cardiomegaly was 53% +/- 7% and 18% +/- 13%, respectively.