Prognostic factors related to survival and complication-free times in airmen medically certified after coronary surgery.
This study was designed to identify prognostic factors for survival and complication-free times among airmen who had regained their medical certificate after coronary bypass surgery. Airmen who had petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration for a special issuance of medical certification to fly because they have had coronary bypass surgery were identified and followed retrospectively from 1970 to the end of 1980. There were 261 airmen in the study population. Demographic, medical, and prognostic information were collected on each airmen before and after surgery. Univariate and multivariate statistical methods were used in analysing the data. From the univariate analysis, presurgery diastolic blood pressure and coffee history, and postsurgery coffee history were identified as being related to complication-free time. Diagnosis for surgery, smoking history, and development of complications were identified as being related to survival after coronary bypass surgery. From the multivariate analysis, four prognostic factors: postsurgery serum cholesterol, number of grafts, postsurgery serum triglyceride, and postsurgery alcohol history were identified for complication-free time. It was concluded that using pre- and post-surgery information can help determine the long term survivors and those who will stay complication-free 11 years after coronary bypass surgery.
D000337:Aerospace Medicine; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D001794:Blood Pressure; D003069:Coffee; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011379:Prognosis; D012907:Smoking
D003069:Coffee