Postoperative outcomes of on- vs off-pump CABG in patients with HFrEF: a nationwide cohort study in Taiwan

Yu-Hern Tan1, Huai-Hsuan Tung1, Shih-Chieh Chien2

  • 1Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, MacKay Memorial Hospital, Taipei City, Taiwan.

Annals of Medicine
|July 3, 2026
PubMed

Insights

For heart failure patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting, off-pump CABG (OPCAB) showed no significant difference in mortality or complications compared to on-pump CABG (ONCAB). However, OPCAB was linked to higher sepsis risk in specific patient subgroups.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Surgery
  • Cardiac Surgery Outcomes
  • Heart Failure Management

Background:

  • Optimal surgical strategy for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) remains unclear.
  • Comparing off-pump CABG (OPCAB) versus on-pump CABG (ONCAB) is crucial for this vulnerable population.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare postoperative outcomes between OPCAB and ONCAB in patients with HFrEF undergoing CABG.
  • To evaluate the association of surgical approach with mortality and complications.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective cohort study of adults with HFrEF undergoing CABG (2001-2021) using the National Health Insurance Research Database.
  • Primary outcome: all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes: postoperative complications.
  • Multivariable logistic regression analysis to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Main Results:

  • Analysis of 855 patients (OPCAB n=252; ONCAB n=603).
  • After adjustment, OPCAB was not significantly associated with 30-day or 1-year all-cause mortality compared to ONCAB.
  • No significant differences in major postoperative complications were observed, though OPCAB showed higher sepsis odds in patients with <3-vessel disease or cerebrovascular disease.

Conclusions:

  • Surgical approach (OPCAB vs. ONCAB) was not independently associated with 30-day mortality, 1-year mortality, or major postoperative complications in HFrEF patients undergoing CABG.
  • Further prospective studies with detailed data are warranted to confirm these findings.
Abstract