Alternative Physical Therapy Protocol Using a Cycle Ergometer During Hospital Rehabilitation of Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: a Clinical Trial

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of a cycle ergometer-based exercise program to a standard protocol on the increment of the maximum distance walked during the six-minute walk test in the postoperative rehabilitation of patients submitted to coronary artery bypass grafting. METHODS: A controlled clinical trial pilot, blinded to the outcome, enrolled subjects who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting in a hospital from Southern Brazil. Subjects were designated for the standard physical rehabilitation protocol or to an alternative cycle ergometer-based protocol through simple random sampling. The primary outcome was the difference in the maximum distance walked in the six-minute walk test before and after the allocated intervention. RESULTS: Twenty-four patients were included in the analysis, 10 in the standard protocol and 14 in the alternative protocol group. There was an increment in the maximum distance walked in both groups, and borderline superiority in the intervention group comparing to the control group (312.2vs. 249.7; P=0.06). CONCLUSION: There was an increase in the maximum distance walked in the alternative protocol compared to the standard protocol. Thus, it is postulated that the use of a cycle ergometer can be included in physical rehabilitation in the hospital phase of postoperative coronary artery bypass grafting. However, randomized studies with larger sample size should be conducted to assess the significance of these findings.

O impacto da hemotransfusão na morbimortalidade pós-operatória de cirurgias cardíacas / The impact of blood transfusion on morbidity and mortality after cardiac surgery

OBJETIVOS: Analisar o impacto da hemotransfusão sanguínea na incidência de desfechos clínicos no pós-operatório (PO) de cirurgias cardíacas. MÉTODOS: Estudo de coorte retrospectiva. Foram analisados 4.028 pacientes submetidos à cirurgia de revascularização miocárdica (CRM), troca valvar (TV) ou ambas, em hospital terciário universitário brasileiro, entre 1996 e 2009. Foram comparadas as complicações no PO entre os pacientes hemotransfundidos (n=916) e não-hemotransfundidos (n=3112). Foi realizada análise univariada através do teste t de Student, e análise multivariada com o uso de regressão logística Bivariada (Stepwise Forward). Foram consideradas significativas as variáveis com P<0,05. RESULTADOS: Os pacientes que receberam hemotransfusão apresentaram mais episódios infecciosos como mediastinite (4,9 por cento vs. 2,2 por cento, P<0,001), infecção respiratória (27,8 por cento vs 17,1 por cento, P<0,001), e sepse (6,2 por cento vs. 2,5 por cento, P<0,001). Ocorreram mais episódios de fibrilação atrial (FA) (27 por cento vs. 20,4 por cento, P<0,001), insuficiência renal aguda (IRA) (14,5 por cento vs. 7,3 por cento, P<0,001) e acidente vascular cerebral (AVC) (4,8 por cento vs. 2,6 por cento, P=0,001). O tempo de internação hospitalar no PO foi maior nos transfundidos (13±12,07 dias vs. 9,72±7,66 dias, P<0,001). Porém, a mortalidade não apresentou diferença entre os grupos (10,9 por cento vs. 9,1 por cento, P=0,112). A transfusão mostrou-se como fator de risco para: infecção respiratória (OR: 1,91; IC95 por cento: 1,59-2,29; P<0,001), FA (OR:1,35; IC95 por cento: 1,13-1,61; P=0,01), sepse (OR: 2,08; IC95 por cento: 1,4-3,07; P<0,001), mediastinite (OR: 2,14; IC95 por cento: 1,43-3,21; P<0,001), AVC (OR: 1,63; IC95 por cento: 1,1-2,41; P=0,014) e IRA (OR: 1,8; IC95 por cento: 1,39-2,33; P<0,001). CONCLUSÃO: A hemotransfusão está associada ao aumento do risco de eventos infecciosos, episódios de FA, IRA e AVC, bem como aumentou o tempo de permanência hospitalar, mas não a mortalidade.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the impact of blood transfusion on the incidence of clinical outcomes postoperatively (PO) from cardiac surgery. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study. We analyzed 4028 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), valve (TV), or both, in Brazilian tertiary university hospital between 1996 and 2009. We compared the postoperative complications between patients with blood transfusion (n = 916) and non-blood transfusion (n = 3112). Univariate analysis was performed using the Student t test, and multivariate logistic regression bivariate (stepwise forward). Were considered significant variables with P <0.05. RESULTS: Patients who received blood transfusions had more infectious episodes as mediastinitis (4.9 percent vs. 2.2 percent, P <0.001), respiratory infection (27.8 percent vs 17.1 percent, P <0.001) and sepsis (6.2 percent vs. 2.5 percent, P <0.001). There were more episodes of atrial fibrillation (AF) (27 percent vs. 20.4 percent, P <0.001), acute renal failure (ARF) (14.5 percent vs 7.3 percent, P <0.001) and stroke (4.8 percent vs. 2.6 percent, P = 0.001). The length of PO hospital stay was higher in transfused (13 ± 12.07 days vs. 9.72 ± 7.66 days, P <0.001). However, mortality didn't differ between groups (10.9 percent vs. 9.1 percent, P = 0.112). The transfusion was shown to be a risk factor for: respiratory infection (OR: 1.91, 95 percent CI 1.59-2.29, P <0.001), AF (OR: 1.35, 95 percent CI 1.13-1.61, P = 0.01), sepsis (OR: 2.08, 95 percent CI 1.4-3.07, P <0.001), mediastinitis (OR: 2.14, 95 percent CI: 1.43-3.21, P <0.001), stroke (OR: 1.63, 95 percent CI 1.1-2.41, P = 0.014) and ARF (OR 1.8, 95 percent CI: 1.39-2.33, P <0.001). CONCLUSION: The blood transfusion is associated with increased risk of infectious events, episodes of AF, ARF and stroke, as well as the increased length of hospital stay but not mortality.