Risk Factors and Outcomes Associated With Sepsis After Coronary Artery Bypass and Open Heart Valve Surgeries

Sepsis causes significant morbidity and mortality after cardiac surgery and carries a significant burden on health care costs. There is a general association of increased risk of post-cardiac surgery sepsis in patients with postoperative complications. We sought to investigate significant patient and procedural risk factors and outcomes associated with sepsis after cardiac surgery.

In this retrospective study, we analyzed 531 coronary artery bypass grafting and open heart valve surgery cases that developed postoperative sepsis in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database between 2007 and 2014. Patient-based and surgery-based parameters were analyzed for risk factors and outcomes reported in the 30 days postoperatively. The association between sepsis and patient outcomes was assessed in a propensity-matched cohort using univariable logistic regression.

Modifiable and nonmodifiable patient characteristics, including age >80, poor preoperative functional status, chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus, congestive heart failure, chronic kidney disease with serum creatinine ⩾1.5, as well as serum albumin <3.5 and emergent nature of the case were associated with post-cardiac surgery sepsis. Surgical outcomes associated with sepsis included mortality (15.4% vs 4.5%), unplanned intubation (29.8% vs 8.2%), transfusion (53.4% vs 48.4%), acute kidney injury (7.1% vs 1.4%), postoperative dialysis (18.8% vs 3.5%), and return to the operating room (29.8% vs 8.2%).

We identified multiple patient and surgical characteristics as well as postoperative outcomes associated with postoperative sepsis development in the high-risk population of patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Early identification of patients who are at high risk for postoperative sepsis can facilitate early treatment interventions.