The Role of Electrocardiogram DETERMINE Score in Prediction of Coronary Artery Disease Severity

Background: A major cause of mortality and disability on a global scale is myocardial infarction (MI). These days, the most reliable way to detect and measure MI is via cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR). Aims and Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of the Electrocardiogram DETERMINE Score in predicting the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients who have experienced an Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) & to assess improvements in left ventricular function at 6 months following coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Subjects and Methods: This Observational cohort study was done at the Cardiology and Radiology department and cardiac surgery department, Al-Azhar university hospitals and Helwan University hospital. The study involved 700 cases who patients diagnosed with Acute Myocardial Infarction and fulfilled specific criteria for selection. Result: There was highly statistically significant relation between Myocardial infarction size and ECG Marker Score as mean infarct size elevated When the number of ECG markers increased. There was a highly statistically significant relation between myocardial infarct segments, myocardial infarction size and improvement of cardiac function 6 months post-CABG. Conclusion: The study found that larger myocardial infarctions corresponded with higher DETERMINE Scores. It concluded that an ECG-based score better estimates infarct size than LVEF alone. Additionally, there was a significant statistical correlation between the size and segmentation of myocardial infarction and better cardiac function six months after CABG.

Long term outcomes of drug-eluting stent versus coronary artery bypass grafting for left main coronary artery disease： a meta-analysis

Background It is still controversial whether percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting stent （DES） is safe and effective compared to coronary artery bypass graft surgery （CABG） for unprotected left main coronary artery （ULMCA） disease at long-term follow up （≥3 years）. Methods Eligible studies were selected by searching PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library up to December 6, 2016. The primary endpoint was a composite of death, myocardial infarction （MI） or stroke during the longest follow-up. Death, cardiac death, MI, stroke and repeat revascularization were the secondary outcomes. Results Four randomized controlled trials and twelve adjusted observational studies involving 14,130 patients were included. DES was comparable to CABG regarding the occurrence of the primary endpoint （FIR = 0.94, 95% CI： 0.86-1.03）. Besides, DES was significantly associated with higher incidence of MI （HR = 1.56, 95% CI： 1.09-2.22） and repeat revascularization （HR = 3.09, 95% CI： 2.33-4.10） compared with CABG, while no difference was found between the two strategies regard as the rate of death, cardiac death and stroke. Furthermore, DES can reduce the risk of the composite endpoint of death, MI or stroke （HR = 0.80, 95% CI： 0.67-0.95） for ULMCA lesions with SYNTAX score ≤32. Conclusions Although with higher risk of repeat revascularization, PCI with DES appears to be as safe as CABG for ULMCA disease at long-term follow up. In addition, treatment with DES could be an alternative interventional strategy to CABG for ULMCA lesions with low to intermediate anatomic complexity.

Long-term survival and prognostic implications of Chinese type 2 diabetic patients with coronary artery disease after coronary artery bypass grafting

This study was conducted to determine the sur-vival rates of type 2 diabetic patients after coro-nary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery, and the prognostic factors related to all-cause mor-tality during a 7-year follow-up. The medical re-cords of 816 type 2 diabetic patients who un-derwent primary, isolated CABG surgery during 1997-2003 were studied. The Kaplan-Meier me- thod and Cox regression were used to estimate survival and the independence of prognostic factors associated with all-cause mortality. One hundred and five out of 816 patients expired during the 7-year period. The overall survival rate was 83.5% (95%CI: 78.7-88.3%). Associated prog- nostic factors varied by gender. For males, but not for females, smoking (RR=3.44, 95%CI: 1.01- 11.70), myocardial infarction (RR=4.77, 95% CI: 1.23-18.86), respiratory failure (RR=4.21, 95% CI: 1.48-7.99), cardiogenic shock (RR=12.58, 95% CI: 3.25-20.77), and congestive heart failure (RR= 3.77, 95%CI: 1.10-13.45) were significantly related to all-cause mortality. Older age at sur-gery (RR= 1.15, 95%CI: 1.04-1.27), emergent op-eration (RR= 21.29, 95%CI: 10.03-39.43), pul-monary ede-ma (RR=7.72, 95%CI: 1.89-15.59), and days of ICU stay (RR=1.05, 95%CI: 1.02-1.09) were significant- ly related to all-cause mortality in females only. In conclusion, several gen-der-related differences were noted pertaining to all-cause mortality and its relationship to smok- ing, myocardial infarction, respiratory failure, cardiogenic shock, congestive heart failure, older age at surgery, emergent operation, pul-monary edema, and days of ICU stay.

Retrospective analysis of exercise capacity in patients with coronary artery disease after percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass graft

Objectives:To describe the current state of exercise capacity as well as to identify its predictors in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) in the mainland of China.Methods:A retrospective study design was employed.We evaluated 230 CAD patients following PCI or CABG in a cardiac rehabilitation center from January 2019 to October 2019.The patients were referred to undergo incremental cardiopulmonary exercise testing with a cycle ergometer.The Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale and the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale were used to evaluate patients' mental health.Statistical analysis was performed using the chi-square test,Fisher's exact test,t-test,Mann-Whitney U test,and binary logistic regression.Results:Among the 230 patients,223 patients demonstrated reduced exercise capacity.Resutlts of the logistic regression analysis showed that anxiety (OR =1.13,95% CI 1.01-1.32,P =0.029) was an independent risk factor for reduced exercise capacity in patients following the PCI or CABG.Conclusions:Exercise capacity of Chinese CAD patients after PCI or CABG was relatively poor.Alleviating symptoms of anxiety and making exercise prescriptions according to the results of the cardiopulmonary exercise test should be considered during the intervention to improve CAD patients' exercise capacity.

Role of Second-Generation Drug-Eluting Stents and Bypass Grafting in Coronary Artery Disease:A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Background:The safety and efficacy of coronary artery bypass grafting(CABG)and second-generation drug-eluting stents(DESs)in patients with coronary artery disease(CAD)remain controversial.Therefore we aimed to compare the outcomes of CAD patients treated with CABG and second-generation DESs.Methods:We systematically searched the PubMed,Cochrane Library,Ovid,and Elsevier databases.Studies comparing second-generation DESs with CABG in CAD patients were included.RevMan 5.3 was used to extract and pool the data from the applicable studies.Results:Six trials(N=6604 participants)were included in this meta-analysis.Among all of the CAD patients,second-generation DESs were associated with no differences in the risks of all-cause death[risk ratio(RR)1.18,95% confi dence interval(CI)0.98–1.43,P=0.09],cardiovascular death(RR 1.14,95% CI 0.81–1.59,P=0.45),myocardial infarction(RR 1.22,95% CI 0.98–1.54,P=0.08),and stroke(RR 0.83,95% CI 0.59–1.17,P=0.29),but increased the risks of revascularization(RR 1.95,95% CI 1.66–2.30,P<0.001)and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events(RR 1.72,95% CI:1.31–2.26,P<0.001)when compared with CABG.Conclusions:In the treatment of CAD patients,second-generation DESs was not associated with increased risks of all-cause death,cardiovascular death,myocardial infarction,and stroke,but increased the risks of revascularization and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events when compared with CABG.

Off-pump Coronary Endarterectomy and Bypass Grafting in Patients With Diffuse Coronary Artery Disease

Objectives preliminary experience on endarterectomy and To summarize our off-pump coronary bypass grafting in patients with diffuse coronary artery disease. Methods Over a 3year period, 53 patients （41 male） with diffuse coronary artery disease underwent off-pump coronary endarterectomy and bypass grafting at our institution. Patients＇ age ranged from 55 to 79 years. Prior to surgery, 70% of patients were in CCS angina class 2 （n=5） or 3 （n=32）, and nearly half of them （26/53） had history of myocardial infarction. Most patients （n= 50） had triple vessel lesions, with left main stem involvement in 9. Their left ventricular ejection fraction ranged from 26% to 65% （mean 52%）. At the end of operation, a flow-meter was routinely applied to measure the perfusion flow of each postendarterectomy graft. Results In total, 70 endarterectomies were performed in 53 patients, including 38 in left anterior descending artery （LAD）, 8 in circumflex artery and 24 in right coronary artery. Four operations were emergency or urgent in nature. Five patients received on-lay venous patch after endarterectomy in LAD, followed by left internal mammary artery （LIMA） grafting on the patch. The graft conduits included 53 LIMAs and 2 radial arteries, and saphenous veins in others. Mean number of grafts per patient was 3.75. The overall index of complet-eness of revascularization reached 1.03±0.07. There was no death in this group of patients during their post-operative hospital stay （mean duration = 9 days）. Intra-operatively, 63 （90%） out of the 70 grafts after coronary endarterectomy showed satisfactory flow. Two patients had perioperative neither experienced signifi myocardial infarctions but cant hemodynamic deteriations. Conclusions Off-pump coronary endarterectomy with bypass grafting is technically feasible and can be coronary improve zation. performed safely in patients with diffuse artery disease. This strategy may help to the completeness of myocardial revasculariation.

Predictors of new-onset atrial fibrillation in elderly patients with coronary artery disease after coronary artery bypass graft

Objective To identify the factors associated with the development of postoperative atrial fibrillation （POAF） after coronary artery bypass graft （CABG） in elderly patients with coronary artery disease （CAD）. Methods A total of 81 patients with CAD who underwent CABG were enrolled in the study. Patients were divided into two groups： Group 1, without postoperative atrial fibrillation （59 patients, 74.6% men, mean age 65.8 ~ 4.0 years）; Group 2, with early new-onset atrial fibrillation after CABG （22 patients, 90.9% men, mean age 67.7 ＋ 5.4 years）. Interleukin （IL）-6, IL-8, IL-10, C-reactive protein （CRP）, fibrinogen, superoxide dismutase （SOD）, N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide （NT-proBNP）, and troponin I were studied. Results During the observation period, atrial fibrillation occurred in 27.2% cases, an average of 4.9 ±3.8 days after surgery. In group 2, the left atrium （LA） dimension was larger than in group 1 （43.9 ± 3.4 mm vs. 37.6 ±3.9 rnm, P 〈 0.001）. Patients with POAF had significantly higher IL-6 （72.7 ±60.8 pg/mL vs. 38.0 ± 34.6 pg/mL, P = 0.04）, IL-8 （11.9 ± 6.0 pg/mL vs. 7.7± 5.4 pg/mL, P = 0.01） and SOD （2462.0 ± 2029.3 units/g vs. 1515.0 ± 1292.9 units/g, P = 0.04） compared with group without POAF. The multivariate analysis showed that the odds ratio （OR） for POAF development in patients with left atrium more than 39 mm was 2.1 [95% confidence interval （CI）： 1.2-3.8, P = 0.0004], IL-6 levels more than 65.18 pg/mL-1.4 （95% Ch 1.1-2.7, P = 0.009）, IL-8 levels more than 9.67 pg/mL-1.2 （95% CI： 1.1-3.7, P ： 0.009）, SOD more than 2948 units/g-1.1 （95% Ch 1.01-2.9, P = 0.04）. Conclusions In our study, the independent predictors of postoperative atrial fibrillation after CABG in elderly patients were left atrium dimension and the increased postoperative concentration of IL-6, IL-8 and superoxide dismutase.

Off-pump versus on-pump coronary artery bypass surgery for the treatment of left main with triple coronary artery disease

Objective：To obtain early results of off-pump coronarE~ artery bypass grafting（OPCAB） in patients with significant left main coronary artery（LMCA） and triple vessels stenosis by comparing with those of a similar group undergoing conventional coronary artery bypass surgery（CCAB）. Methods：Data for patients with significant LMCA and triple vessels stenosis who underwent CCAB or OPCAB were collected retrospectively between January 1999 and May 2006. Non-randomized, retrospective data analysis included demo- graphic and preoperative risk factors, operative details, clinical outcome and early follow-up. Results： The number of distal anastomo- sis and grafts varied from 3 to 6. The average number per patient was similar in the two groups （OPCAB group：3.76 ± 0.98, CCAB group：3.81 ± 1.02）. Thirty-day mortality occurred to one patient in the OPCAB group whereas two early deaths were observed in the CCAB group but did not reach statistical significance （P 〉 0.05）. The frequency of atrial fibrillation （AF）, IABP usage, mediastinitis, re-operation for bleeding （or tamponade） were similar in the two groups （P 〉 0.05）. Postoperative inotropic requirements, peak CKMB, ventilation time, blood loss, FFP, RBC transfusion need and the length of ICU-stay were all significantly lower in the OPCAB group compared with CCAB group（P 〈 0.05）.Conclusion： Significant LMCA and triple-vessel stenosis can safely and effectively undergo myocardial revascularization using OPCAB surgery. LMCA should no longer be seen as a contraindication to perform OPCAB grafting.

Does Right Coronary Artery Stenosis Increase Morbi-Mortality in Patients Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Graft for Left Main Coronary Artery Disease?

Background: The association of right coronary artery (RCA) stenosis in patients undergoing myocardial revascularization for left main coronary artery (LMCA) stenosis affects the prognosis. This study aimed to compare immediate results of patients with isolated LMCA stenosis and those with combined RCA stenosis. Patients and methods: We retrospectively evaluated 107 consecutive patients with LMCA disease who underwent coronary artery bypass grafts. The patients were divided into two groups: isolated LMCA stenosis (n = 36) and LMCA stenosis + RCA stenosis (n = 71). Different variables (preoperative, intra operative and post operative) were compared. Results: Patients with LMCA stenosis + RCA stenosis experienced higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus (p = 0.024) and smoker (p = 0.032). Also left ventricular EF was reduced (p = 0.004). Myocardial revascularization was more complete in patients with LMCA stenosis + RCA stenosis (p = 0.033), but in-hospital mortality rate was higher (12.6% vs 5.5%) in isolated LLMCA stenosis, but it did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.32). Except low output syndrome (LOS) that was frequent in presence of RCA stenosis (p = 0.026), no significant difference was found between groups for other complications. Conclusion: The presence of RCA stenosis in patients undergoing CABG for LMCA disease increases 30 day mortality but without significant impact on overall morbidities.

Comparative study of graft flow between on-pump and off-pump coronary bypass surgery for patients with multivessel coronary artery disease

Objective： To Comparatively study grafts flow between on-pump and off-pump coronary bypass surgery for patients with triple coronary artery disease. Methods ： The grafts flow was studied in 100 patients of OPCAB and compared with 100 cases of CCABG by means of Medi-Stim Butterfly Flowmeter measurement intraoperatively. Results： The mean number of the distal anastomosis was 3.78＋ 1.11 in CCABG group, and 3.83 ＋ 0.93 in OPCAB group. The index of completeness of revascularization in CCABG group was 1.01 ＋ 0.08, and 1.10＋ 0.09 in OPCAB group. The flow of grafts was satisfied in all patients. The PI values were all under 5. There was no significant difference in the mean graft flow and PI value between two groups. Conclusion： OPCAB can provide the same grafts flow and similar completeness of revascularization when compared with CCABG which indicates the similar anastomosis quality of grafts in OPCAB and CCABG groups.

Off-Pump CABG for Mulitvessel Coronary Artery Disease-Safe Incorporation into Surgical Practice

Introduction: Since its revival two decades ago development of the surgical technique, along with evidence and clinical outcomes of off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery (OPCAB) were brought into focus. Methods: We report a single surgeon, single center experience of the first 37 consecutive patients undergoing off-pump surgery. Patients were selected for OPCAB (study group) individually and matched retrospectively to a control group of 113 patients performed over an identical time frame. Data were retrieved from a hospital data base (TOMCAT). Results: Mean Logistic European System of Cardiac Operative Risk Stratification (EuroSCORE) was slightly higher in the off-pump group (3.8% versus 2.9%). One patient died during the study and this was in the off-pump CAB group (OPCAB-30 day mortality 2.7%). Operating time was slightly shorter in the off-pump group (3 hours 28 minutes versus 3 hours 49 minutes, p = 0.15). After exclusion of outliers, total hospital stay was significantly shorter for off-pump cases (mean 6.8 days versus 8.37 days), while Intensive Care Unit (ICU) stay (1.2 versus 1.4 days) and ventilation time were only slightly shorter (9.35 hours versus 10.6 hours) for off-pump cases. Chest tube drainage was significantly lower in the off-pump group (484 ml versus 744 ml, p = 0.04) with correspondingly slightly lower transfusion requirements and significantly increased discharge haemoglobin concentrations in OPCAB. There was one cerebrovascular accident (CVA) in the off-pump group and none in the on-pump group. Conclusion: In this study we show short term outcomes for introduction of off-pump into surgical technique. Length of ICU stay, ventilation times, chest tube drainage, transfusion re0 quirements and pre-discharge haemoglobin concentration all appeared superior in the off pump group. The off-pump technique was safely introduced into the surgeon`s service with relatively little mortality. Experience of surgeon was considered advantageous for fast adaption of the technique. However, numbers were too small to make strong inferences. With practice more patients should benefit from the technique.

Coronary artery disease in Iranian young adults, similarities and differences

Objective: Due to devastating consequences of coronary artery disease (CAD) in young population, this study was designed to evaluate the prevalence of preventable risk factors and severity of atherosclerosis for Iranian young adults (≤45 years) diagnosed with premature CAD. Method: A cross sectional, descriptive study comprised 1093 consecutive patients (≤45 years), with a diagnosis of CAD, who underwent percutaneous intervention (PCI) or coronary bypass graft (CABG) from 2010 to 2012. Data on demographic features, cardiovascular risk factors, and angiographic findings were studied. Result: There were 1093 young patients (234 females, 859 males) with proven CAD;the mean age of 39 ± 3 years and the mean BMI were 28 ± 4.7 kg/m2. According to the treatment plan, patients were classified into two groups: PCI and CABG groups (n = 898,195 respectively). Obesity was the most prevalent risk factor (73.6%). In the risk factor assessment, it was noticed: 27% with diabetes mellitus, 37% with hypertension, 38% with family history, 39% with hyperlipidimia, and 54% smokers. Angiographic study revealed that 10 (1%) had left main coronary disease, 747 (68%) patients had single vessel disease, 181 (17%) had two-vessel disease and that 155 (14%) had three-vessel disease. The most common anatomical involvement was the anterior wall territory. Conclusion: Young CAD patients from Iran have different risk profile. Although atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries is less prominent in young patients, more often it is accompanied by decreased left ventricular function. There is a need for prevention plan to control obesity by targeting young adults in the population.

Drug eluting balloons for the treatment of coronary artery disease: What can we expect?

Drug-eluting balloons (DEBs) represent an enhancement of the therapeutic repertoire for the interventional cardiologist. The therapeutic concept of DEBs is promising, notably on the basis of initial studies in patients with diffuse in-stent restenosis (ISR). At present, however, a number of questions regarding long-term efficacy and safety remain, specifically in indications other than diffuse ISR. The results of the evaluation of different substances, balloon systems and clinical indications will determine the long-term success of DEBs.

Combined Surgical Treatment of Atherosclerotic Coronary Artery Disease and Moderate Aortic Valve Stenosis in Patient with Concomitant Lipton’s R-III Type of Single Coronary Artery Anomaly

A single coronary artery is a very rare condition,commonly associated with other congenital anomalies.It could be generally considered as neither benign nor malignant form of congenital coronary artery anomalies since its pathophysiological and clinical implications grossly depend on different anatomical patterns defined by the site of origin and distribution of the branches.By presenting the patient who underwent successful coronary artery bypass grafting and aortic valve replacement surgery in a presence of isolated single coronary artery,we intend to emphasize natural and procedural risks and distinguish casual from causal in this extremely rare clinical and surgical scenario.

Review: Outcomes of Revascularization Strategies for Coronary Artery Disease

The optimal revascularization strategy for patients with coronary artery disease is influenced by the continuous improvement in medical therapy and the improved designs of the new generation of coronary stents allowing them to be increasingly applied in patients with complex coronary anatomy, including those with left main stem disease. On the other hand, surgical results are also improved as a result of the increased experience over years and the improvement of myocardial protection techniques. This will make the comparison of percutaneous coronary interventions and coronary artery bypass surgery a moving target. In this paper, we reviewed the recent randomized controlled trials and important registries emphasizing the benefits and the results of each therapy in different patient subsets. A heart team of both cardiologists and cardiac surgeons is of paramount importance in choosing the optimal revascularization strategy.

Review: Do We Still Need a Viability Study before Considering Revascularization in Patient with Stable Coronary Artery Disease and Significant Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction?

Patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy constitute a heterogeneous group of patients with an extremely complex condition in which many factors play an important prognostic role. So it is difficult and probably unrealistic to expect that a single feature like presence of viable myocardium would provide an unequivocal answer to a critical question of revasculrization or not for all patients. Opposite to the hopes of investigators and physicians involved in the care of these patients, the findings of prospective studies with the use of different viability testing methods did not help in the decision-making process regarding CABG in ischemic cardiomyopathy. Instead, they left us with the same dilemma. The implication of most of these trials is that in patients with CAD and significant LV dysfunction, assessment of myocardial viability does not identify patients who will have the greatest survival benefit from adding CABG to aggressive medical therapy. In the clinical practice, these observations remind physicians to consider the multiplicity of factors involved in the decision-making process for patients with such a complex disease.

Complete revascularization reduces adverse outcomes in patients with multivessel coronary artery disease

AIM To investigate the infuence of complete and incomplete revascularization （ICR） in patients with multivessel coro-nary artery disease undergoing coronary artery bypass or percutaneous coronary intervention.METHODS We searched PubMed using the keywords “complete revascularization”, “incomplete revascularization”, “cor-onary artery bypass”, and “percutaneous coronary intervention”. We selected randomized controlled studies （RCT） and observational studies only for review. The main outcomes of interest were mortality, myocardial infarction （MI） and repeat revascularization. We identified further studies by hand searching relevant publications and included those that met with the inclusion criteria in our fnal analysis and performed a systematic review.RESULTSTen studies were identified, including 13327 patients of whom, 8053 received complete revascularization and 5274 received ICR. Relative to ICR, CR was associated with lower mortality （RR： 0.755, 95%CI： 0.66 to 0.864, P = 0.765, I2 = 0.0%）, lower rates of MI （RR： 0.759, 95%CI： 0.615 to 0.937, P = 0.091, I2 = 45.1%）, lower rates of MACCE （RR： 0.731, 95%CI： 0.668 to 0.8, P = 0.453, I2 = 0.0%） and reduced rates of repeat coronary revascularization （RR： 0.691, 95%CI： 0.541 to 0.883, P = 0.0, I2 = 88.3%）.CONCLUSIONCR is associated with lower rates of adverse outcomes. CR can be used as a standard in the choice of any particular revascularization strategy.

Comparison of Fractional Flow Reserve-Guided Revascularization Strategies in Isolated Proximal Left Anterior Descending Coronary Artery Disease

The data about FFR-guided revascularization in isolated proximal LAD disease are limited and studies comparing long-term outcomes of FFR-guided PCI versus FFR-guided CABG in single-vessel proximal LAD disease are lacking. We aimed to assess the 4-year long-term safety and effectiveness of fractional flow reserve (FFR)-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and FFR-guided coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) for the treatment of proximal left anterior descending (LAD) lesions. The study included 129 patients with functionally significant (FFR ≤ 0.80) isolated proximal LAD stenosis (PCI, 88 patients vs. CABG, 41). Clinical endpoints were assessed by Kaplan-Meier method and compared by the log-rank test. At a mean follow-up time of 47 ± 12 months, a higher incidence of myocardial infarction in the PCI group (PCI: 32% vs. CABG: 15%;p = 0.003) and a higher incidence of stroke in the CABG group (CABG: 3 (7%) vs. PCI 0 (0%);p = 0.031) were observed. However, there were no significant differences in the primary composite endpoint, death and target vessel revascularization between PCI and CABG groups. The PCI and CABG in isolated proximal LAD lesions yielded similar long-term outcomes regarding the primary composite clinical endpoints. However, stroke was more frequent in the CABG group than in the PCI group.

Impact of specialized nursing outpatient case management on postcoronary artery bypass grafting patients

BACKGROUND Some patients with coronary atherosclerotic heart disease experience major adverse cardiac events(MACE)and require readmission after Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting(CABG)surgery.This is often attributed to patients'unhealthy lifestyles and dietary habits,inadequate understanding of the disease,and poor disease management compliance.Thus,searching for more targeted nursing intervention models that can enhance patients'self-management abilities and reduce the risk of readmission after CABG surgery is significant.AIM To observe the impact of specialized nursing outpatient case management on patients after CABG surgery.METHODS A total of 103 patients who underwent CABG surgery in our hospital between April 2021 and April 2022 comprised the study sample.The patients were divided into two groups using an odd-even number grouping method.The control group received routine nursing care,while the case management group received specialized nursing outpatient case management.The differences in psychological status,adherence to medical treatment,self-care ability,knowledge mastery,quality of life scores,and the occurrence rate of MACE were compared between the two groups.RESULTS After the intervention,the case management group had lower scores on the selfrating depression scale and self-rating anxiety scale and lower MACE rate,as well as higher scores for adherence to a healthy diet,medication adherence,good lifestyle habits,regular exercise,and timely follow-up,higher scores on the Coronary Heart Disease Self-Management Scale,higher scores for managing adverse habits,symptoms,emotional cognition,emergency response,disease knowledge,general lifestyle,and treatment adherence,higher scores for understanding coronary heart disease,recognizing the importance of medication adherence,understanding selfcare points after CABG surgery,and being aware of post-CABG precautions,higher scores for physical well-being,disease condition,general health,social-psychological well-being,and work-related aspects(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Specialized nursing outpatient case management can enhance patient adherence to medical treatment,knowledge mastery,psychological well-being,and overall quality of life in patients after CABG surgery.

Early Results of Coronary Endarterectomy Combined with Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting in Patients with Diffused Coronary Artery Disease

Background： It is still a challenge for the cardiac surgeons to achieve adequate revascularization for diffused coronary artery disease （CAD）. Coronary endarterectomy （CE） offers an alternative choice of coronary artery reconstruction and revascularization. In this study, short-term result of CE combined with coronary artery bypass graft （CABG） was discussed in the treatment for the diffused CAD. Methods： From January 2012 to April 2014, 221 cases of CABG were performed by the same surgeon in our unit. Among these cases, 38 cases of CE ＋ CABG were pertbrmed, which was about 17.2% （38/221） of the cohort. All these patients were divided into two groups： CE ＋ CABG group （Group A） and CABG alone group and postoperative complications and in-hospital mortality were Chi-square test and Student＇s t-test respectively. （Group B）. All clinical data were compared between the two groups, analyzed. The categorical and continuous variables were analyzed by Results： Diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and peripheral vascular disease were more common in group A. In this cohort, a total of 50 vessels were endarterectomized. Among them, CE was perfbrmed on left anterior descending artery in 11 cases, on right coronary artery in 29 cases, on diagonal artery in 3 cases, on intermediate artery in 2 cases, on obtuse marginal artery in 5 cases. There was no hospital mortality in both groups. The intro-aortic balloon pump was required in 3 cases in Group A （3/38）, which was more often than that in Group B （3/183）. At the time of follow-up, coronary computed tomography angiogram showed all the grafts with CE were patent （50/50）. There is no cardio-related mortality in both groups. All these patients were free from coronary re-intervention. Conclusions： Coronary endarterectomy ＋ CABG can oilier satisfactory result for patients with diffused CAD in a short-term after the operation.