title: Comparison of preoperative, operative and postoperative variables in asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic patients to severely symptomatic patients three years after coronary artery bypass grafting: analysis of 423 patients.
abstract: During a follow-up period of 3 years, among a consecutive series of 423 patients who gave informed consent for recatheterization both 1 and 3 years after coronary artery bypass grafting, the incidence of severely symptomatic patients with New York Heart Association class III or IV was 19% (79 of 423). The predictive value of approximately 80 clinical, angiographic and perioperative variables was too low to be of clinical value. Adverse clinical outcome was associated with a high closure rate of the grafts. Forty-six percent of the patients could not undergo reoperation because of unsuitable coronary anatomy. With intensive medical therapy half of these patients improved to functional class I or II, while of those patients who were reoperable 32% improved to class I or II with intensive pharmacologic treatment instead of reoperation. The nonresponders underwent reoperation, which resulted in improvement of symptoms to functional class I or II in most (83%).
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000209:etiology; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011379:Prognosis; D011859:Radiography; D012086:Reoperation