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Long-term outcome after coronary artery bypass grafting in patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction
John Alfred Carr1, Benjamin E Haithcock, Gaetano Paone
1Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Henry Ford Health Sciences Center, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
Insights
Coronary bypass surgery can lead to long-term survival and improved function in patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction. This procedure offers significant benefits, including enhanced ejection fraction and better functional class.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Cardiac Surgery
- Cardiovascular Research
Background:
- Severe left ventricular dysfunction poses significant challenges for long-term patient survival.
- Assessing the functional recovery and survival rates after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is crucial for managing these patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the long-term survival potential for patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction undergoing CABG.
- To quantify the improvement in overall functional status post-CABG.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 86 patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction (ejection fraction ≤ 0.20) who underwent CABG between 1990 and 1999.
- Long-term follow-up over a decade, including serial echocardiography and assessment of New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class.
Main Results:
- The study observed a 59% actual 5-year survival rate, with a mean survival of 55 months.
- Ejection fraction significantly improved post-CABG (from 0.18 to 0.29–0.36), and systolic left ventricular dimension decreased.
- NYHA functional class improved significantly from a preoperative average of 2.8 to 1.6 post-procedure.
Conclusions:
- Coronary artery bypass grafting offers significant long-term benefits for patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction.
- Improved left ventricular contractility, evidenced by increased ejection fraction and decreased systolic dimension, contributes to better outcomes.
- Successful CABG is associated with a 59% 5-year survival rate and substantial improvement in functional capacity.
Background:
The aim of this study was to define the potential for long-term survival with severe left ventricular dysfunction after coronary bypass and to quantify any improvement in overall functional status.
Methods:
Left ventricular dysfunction was confirmed preoperatively and the long-term survival and functional outcome after bypass was determined by follow-up studies obtained during the span of a decade.
Results:
From 1/1990 to 12/1999, 86 patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction (mean ejection fraction, 0.18 +/- 0.03; range, 0.10 to 0.20) underwent coronary artery bypass grafting. There were 10 perioperative deaths (11% mortality). The mean survival was 55 months (standard deviation +/- 34 months; range, 2 to 141 months) with an actual 5-year survival rate of 59% (actuarial 5-year 65%, 10-year 33%). Echocardiography obtained between 1 and 6 months, 6 months and 1 year, 1 and 2 years, 2 and 4 years, 4 and 6 years, and 6 and 11 years showed the ejection fraction improved to 0.29 +/- 0.08 (p < 0.001), 0.31 +/- 0.14 (p < 0.002), 0.35 +/- 0.08 (p < 0.001), 0.27 +/- 0.10 (p = 0.002), 0.36 +/- 0.14 (p = 0.004), and 0.30 +/- 0.11 (p = 0.004), respectively. At 1 to 6 months, 6 months to 1 year, and 1 to 2 years, the diastolic left ventricular dimension was unchanged, but the systolic left ventricular dimension decreased significantly from 5.02 +/- 0.77 cm to 4.26 +/- 0.91 cm (p = 0.046), 3.98 +/- 1.43 cm (p = 0.08), and 4.10 +/- 1.14 cm (p = 0.07). The preoperative New York Heart Association classification for all patients improved from 2.8 +/- 0.8 to 1.6 +/- 0.7 (p < 0.001) after a mean of 53 months (standard deviation +/- 34 months).
Conclusions:
Patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction can derive long-term benefit from coronary bypass through improved left ventricular contractility as documented by a significantly decreased systolic left ventricular dimension and increased ejection fraction. Successful bypass is associated with a 59% actual 5-year survival rate and significantly improved New York Heart Association functional class.