Jouni Heikkinen

Validation of EuroSCORE II in Patients Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery

BACKGROUND The European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation II (EuroSCORE II) has been recently developed to improve the performance of the original EuroSCORE. Herein we evaluated its discriminatory ability in predicting the immediate and late outcome after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). METHODS Complete data on 1,027 patients who underwent isolated CABG were available for validation of EuroSCORE II and to compare its discriminatory ability with the original EuroSCORE and its Finnish modified version. RESULTS EuroSCORE II performed somewhat better (area under the curve [AUC] 0.852, Brier score 0.031) than the original logistic EuroSCORE (AUC 0.838, Brier score 0.034) and its Finnish modified version (AUC 0.825, Brier score 0.034) in predicting operative mortality. The overall expected-to-observed operative mortality ratio for the original logistic EuroSCORE was 1.8, for its Finnish modified version was 0.6, and for EuroSCORE II was 1.2. EuroSCORE II showed expected-to-observed ratios ranging from 1.05 to 1.17 in its highest third quintiles. The best cutoff of EuroSCORE II in predicting operative postoperative mortality was 10% (21.5% vs 1.6%, p<0.0001; sensitivity 91.5%, specificity 60.5%, negative predictive value 98.4%, accuracy of 90.3%). The EuroSCORE II was predictive of de novo dialysis (AUC 0.805), prolonged use of inotropes (AUC 0.748), and intensive care unit stay 5 days or greater (AUC 0.793). The risk of late mortality significantly increased across increasing quintiles of EuroSCORE II (p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS The EuroSCORE II performs better than its original version in predicting operative mortality and morbidity after isolated CABG. Its ability to predict 30-day mortality in high-risk patients is of particular importance. The EuroSCORE II is also a good predictor of late postoperative survival.

Estimating the risk of complications related to re-exploration for bleeding after adult cardiac surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of re-exploration for bleeding after cardiac surgery on the immediate postoperative outcome. METHODS Systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis of data on re-exploration for bleeding after adult cardiac surgery were performed. RESULTS The literature search yielded eight observational studies reporting on 557,923 patients and were included in the present analysis. Patients requiring re-exploration were significantly older, more frequently males, had a higher prevalence of peripheral vascular disease and preoperative exposure to aspirin, and more frequently underwent urgent/emergency surgery. Re-exploration was associated with significantly increased risk ratio (RR) of immediate postoperative mortality (RR 3.27, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.44-4.37), stroke, need of intra-aortic balloon pump, acute renal failure, sternal wound infection, and prolonged mechanical ventilation. The pooled analysis of four studies (two being propensity score-matched pairs analysis) reporting adjusted risk for mortality led to an RR of 2.56 (95%CI 1.46-4.50). Studies published during the last decade tended to report a higher risk of re-exploration-related mortality (RR 4.30, 95%CI 3.09-5.97) than those published in the 1990s (RR 2.75, 95%CI 2.06-3.66). CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that re-exploration for bleeding after cardiac surgery carries a significantly increased risk of postoperative mortality and morbidity.

The use of statins and fate of small abdominal aortic aneurysms.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the value of statins in reducing abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) growth rate and improving freedom from aneurysm repair or rupture. One hundred and twenty-one patients with AAA undergoing ultrasonographic surveillance for at least one year were included in this retrospective study. Patients treated with statins had a decreased linear aneurysm growth rate than those not receiving statins (1.9+/-1.8 mm/year vs. 2.6+/-2.4 mm/year, P=0.27), but this difference did not reach statistical significance. Statin users had a better survival freedom from aneurysm repair or rupture (at 5 years: 72.3% vs. 52.5%, P=0.048). The impact of treatment with statins was even more evident in patients with a baseline aneurysm diameter<40 mm (at 5 years: 84.0% vs. 58.8%, P=0.022). When adjusted for age, coronary artery disease and baseline aneurysm diameter, treatment with statins had significantly better survival freedom from aneurysm repair or rupture (P=0.012, RR 0.34, 95% CI 0.14-0.78). The use of statins seems to slightly decrease the AAA growth rate and to significantly improve freedom from aneurysm repair and rupture.

Early and intermediate outcome after aortic valve replacement with a sutureless bioprosthesis: Results of a multicenter study

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome of aortic valve replacement with the sutureless Perceval S aortic valve bioprosthesis (Sorin Biomedica Cardio Srl, Saluggia, Italy). METHODS This is a retrospective analysis of 314 patients (mean age, 77.9 ± 5.0 years, mean European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation II, 9.0% ± 7.6%) who underwent aortic valve replacement with the Perceval S valve with (94 patients) or without (220 patients) concomitant coronary artery bypass surgery at 5 European centers. RESULTS The Perceval S valve was successfully implanted in all but 1 patient (99.7%). The mean aortic crossclamping time was 43 ± 20 minutes (isolated procedure, 39 ± 15 minutes; concomitant coronary surgery, 52 ± 26 minutes). Severe paravalvular leak occurred in 2 patients (0.6%). In-hospital mortality was 3.2% (1.4% after isolated procedure and 7.4% after concomitant coronary surgery). In-hospital mortality was 2.8% and 4.0% among patients with a European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation II less than 10% and 10% or greater, respectively (P = .558). Octogenarians had slightly higher in-hospital mortality (5.2% vs 2.0%, P = .125; after isolated procedure: 2.7% vs 0.7%, P = .223; after concomitant coronary surgery: 9.5% vs 5.8%, P = .491) compared with younger patients. Full sternotomy did not increase the in-hospital mortality risk compared with ministernotomy or minithoracotomy access (1.3% vs 1.4%, when adjusted for baseline covariates: P = .921; odds ratio, 0.886; 95% confidence interval, 0.064-12.346). One-year survival was 90.5%. Freedom from valve-related mortality, stroke, endocarditis, and reoperation was 99.0%, 98.1%, 99.2%, and 98.3%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The sutureless Perceval S valve is associated with excellent early survival in high-risk patients, particularly among those undergoing an isolated procedure. Further studies are needed to prove the durability of this bioprosthesis.

Use of blood products and risk of stroke after coronary artery bypass surgery

BACKGROUND The impact of blood transfusion on the development of post-operative stroke after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is not well established. We, therefore, investigated this issue. MATERIALS AND METHODS Complete data on peri-operative blood transfusion were available for 2,226 patients who underwent CABG in three Finnish hospitals. RESULTS Stroke occurred post-operatively in 53 patients (2.4%). Logistic regression showed that pre-operative creatinine (OR 1.003, 95% CI 1.000-1.006), extracardiac arteriopathy (OR 2.344, 95% CI 1.133-4.847), pre-operative atrial fibrillation (OR 2.409, 95% CI 1.149-5.052), and the number of packed red blood cell units transfused (OR 1.121, 95% CI 1.065-1.180) were significantly associated with post-operative stroke. When the various blood product transfusions instead of transfused units were included in the multivariable analysis, solvent/detergent treated plasma (Octaplas) transfusion (OR 2.149, 95% CI 1.141-4.047), but not red blood cell transfusion, was significantly associated with postoperative stroke. Use of blood products ranging from no transfusion (stroke rate 1.6%) to combined transfusion of red blood cells, platelets and Octaplas was associated with a significant increase in post-operative stroke incidence (6.6%, adjusted analysis: OR 1.727, 95% 1.350-2.209). Patients who received >2 units of red blood cells, >4 units of Octaplas units and >8 units of platelets had the highest stroke rate of 21%. CART analysis showed that increasing amount of transfused Octaplas, platelets and history of extracardiac arteriopathy were significantly associated with post-operative stroke. CONCLUSIONS Transfusion of blood products after CABG has a strong, dose-dependent association with the risk of stroke. The use of Octaplas and platelet transfusions seem to have an even larger impact on the development of stroke than red blood cell transfusions.

Individual Surgeon's Impact on the Risk of Re-exploration for Excessive Bleeding After Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery

OBJECTIVE Excessive bleeding requiring re-exploration is a severe complication that may affect the outcome after coronary artery bypass grafting. The authors hypothesized that surgeon performance may contribute significantly to such a complication. DESIGN Retrospective. SETTING Tertiary referral center in a university hospital. PARTICIPANTS Two thousand one patients. INTERVENTIONS Isolated coronary artery bypass grafting. RESULTS Re-exploration for bleeding was performed in 113 patients (5.3%). Re-exploration was performed ≥3 days after surgery in 11 patients. The surgical site of bleeding was identified in 83 patients (73.5%). Rates of re-exploration for excessive bleeding ranged from 1.4% to 11.7% according to different surgeons (p < 0.0001). When adjusted for the additive European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation, re-exploration for bleeding was associated with increased risks of low-cardiac-output syndrome (odds ratio [OR] 2.239, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.328-3.777), prolonged need for inotropes (OR 1.894, 95% CI 1.198-2.994), and an intensive care unit stay ≥5 days (OR 2.129, 95% CI 1.202-3.770). Logistic regression showed that an individual surgeon (p < 0.0001), preoperative body mass index <25 kg/m(2) (OR 2.733, 95% CI 2.145-3.481), and estimated glomerular filtration rate <30 mL/min/1.73 m(2) (OR 3.891, 95% CI 1.669-9.076) were independent predictors of re-exploration for excessive bleeding. An individual surgeon also was an independent predictor of a postoperative blood loss ≥1,600 mL. CONCLUSIONS An individual surgeon has a major impact on postoperative bleeding, and a meticulous surgical technique is expected to decrease significantly such a severe complication.

Experiments with two industrial problems using texture classification based on feature distributions

Our recent research results indicate that a very good texture discrimination can be obtained by using simple texture measures based on gray level differences or local binary patterns, for example, with a classification principle based on a comparison of distributions of feature values. In this paper two case studies dealing with the problems of determining the composition of mixtures of materials and metal strip inspection are considered.

Off-pump versus on-pump coronary artery bypass surgery in patients aged 80 years and older: institutional results and meta-analysis

Patients aged ≥80 years are at high risk of adverse events after coronary artery bypass grafting. This study was performed to evaluate whether off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery (OPCAB) is superior to conventional surgery (CCAB) in these high-risk patients. The outcome of 185 patients aged ≥80 years who underwent OPCAB or CCAB at our institution was reviewed and a meta-analysis on this issue was performed. Similar immediate postoperative results were observed after OPCAB and CCAB at our institution, despite significantly different operative risk (mean logistic EuroSCORE, OPCAB 20.3% vs CCAB 13.4%, P = 0.003). Among 56 propensity score matched pairs a trend toward lower postoperative stroke (0%, 95% CI 0–0 vs 3.6%, 95% CI 0–10.0, P = 0.50) was observed after OPCAB. No significant differences were observed in the other outcome end points. Five-year survival was 81.0% after OPCAB and 78.1% after CCAB (P = 0.239). Pooled analysis of eight studies including 3416 patients showed a significantly higher risk of postoperative stroke after CCAB (pooled rates: 4.2%, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 2.4–7.1 vs 1.5%, 95% CI 0.9–2.5, risk ratio (RR) 2.15, 95% CI 1.17–3.96, P = 0.01). A trend toward higher immediate postoperative mortality was observed after CCAB (15 studies including 4409 patients, pooled rates: 6.5%, 95% CI 5.2–8.0 vs 5.6%, 95% CI 4.2–7.4, RR 1.29, 95% CI 0.86–1.93, P = 0.21). Generic inverse variance analysis showed similar intermediate survival after CCAB and OPCAB (RR 1.31, 95% CI 0.85–2.01, P = 0.22). At 2 years, survival was 82.8% (95% CI 76.4–89.2) after CCAB and 88.3% (95% CI 82.9–93.7) after OPCAB. Current results indicate that OPCAB compared with CCAB in patients aged ≥80 years is associated with significantly lower postoperative stroke and with a trend toward better early survival. However, suboptimal quality of the available studies, particularly the lack of comparability of the study groups, prevents conclusive results on this controversial issue.

Clinical significance and determinants of the universal definition of perioperative bleeding classification in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery

OBJECTIVES We evaluated the clinical significance and identified the predictors of the universal definition of perioperative bleeding (UDPB) classes in patients undergoing isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). METHODS Data on antithrombotic medication, perioperative bleeding, blood transfusion, and adverse events were available for 2764 patients who had undergone isolated CABG. RESULTS The Papworth risk score correlated significantly with the UDPB classes (rate of UDPB class 3-4 and Papworth risk score of 0, 12.1%; 1, 23.9%; 2, 37.5%; and 3, 45.0%; P<.0001). Ordinal regression showed that increased age, female sex, low body mass index, low estimated glomerular filtration rate, low hemoglobin, dialysis, urgent or emergency operation, critical status, on-pump surgery, potent antiplatelet drug pause of <5 days, and warfarin pause of <2 days were independent predictors of high UDPB classes. These risk factors also predicted UDPB classes 3-4 in logistic regression analysis. Increasing UDPB classes were associated with an increased risk of in-hospital mortality (P=.002), stroke (P=.023), low cardiac output (P<.0001), prolonged use of inotropes (P<.0001), renal replacement therapy (P<.0001), length of stay in the intensive care unit (P<.0001), and late mortality (P<.0001) as assessed by multilevel propensity score-adjusted analysis. Similar findings were observed in the propensity score-adjusted analysis for the most severe grades of perioperative bleeding (ie, UDPB class 3-4). CONCLUSIONS High UDPB classes were associated with significantly poorer immediate and late outcomes. The UDPB classification seems to be a valuable research tool to estimate the severity of bleeding and its prognostic impact affect after coronary surgery.

Meta-analysis on the Performance of the EuroSCORE II and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Scores in Patients Undergoing Aortic Valve Replacement

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the performance of the EuroSCORE II (ESII) and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) scores in surgical (SAVR) or transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). DESIGN Systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis. SETTING University hospitals. PARTICIPANTS Studies reporting data on the performance of ESII and STS scores in patients undergoing SAVR or TAVR. INTERVENTIONS SAVR or TAVR. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Ten studies validated these scores in 13,856 patients who underwent either TAVR or SAVR. Operative mortality was 5.9% (SAVR 3.1%; TAVR 9.6%). ESII-expected mortality was 5.1% (O/E ratio: 1.15, SAVR, O/E ratio 0.94; TAVR, O/E ratio 1.23) and STS-expected mortality was 6.3% (O/E ratio: 0.94, SAVR, O/E ratio 0.84; TAVR, O/E ratio 1.13). The area under the ROC curve for ESII was 0.70 and for STS was 0.70 (SAVR patients: 0.73 for ESII and 0.75 for STS; TAVR patients; 0.66 for ESII and 0.63 for STS). The difference between observed/expected mortality was not significant for ESII (Petos OR 0.99, p = 0.88) and was significant for STS (Petos OR 0.86, p = 0.008). ESII (Petos OR 1.35, p<0.00001) and STS (Petos OR 1.23, p<0.00001) significantly underestimated the mortality risk in TAVR patients. The STS (Petos OR 0.74, p<0.0001) and, to a lesser extent, the ESII (Petos OR 0.86, p = 0.0.04) overestimated the mortality risk in SAVR patients. CONCLUSIONS The ESII and STS scores have good O/E ratios for either TAVR or SAVR patients, but both scores significantly underpredicted the risk of TAVR patients. ESII seemed to be accurate in predicting the risk of SAVR patients.