title: Perioperative stroke in coronary artery bypass patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Stroke has remained one of the most frustrating complications in coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG). The purpose of this study was to describe the incidence and correlates of stroke in CABG patients operated on in a hospital with low annual volume of open-heart surgery procedures. The aim was moreover to clarify subsequent outcome and self-reported satisfaction-based quality of life of patients who had experienced a stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  The material was a cohort of 1318 consecutive CABG patients operated on over a 6-year period. Data was collected prospectively but the final analysis was retrospective. Questionnaires supplemented the estimation of survival and subsequent functional status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence of stroke was 2.6 %. Age > 70 years, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), peripheral vascular disease (PVD), cerebral vascular disease (CVD), number of aortic anastomoses and significant atherosclerosis of the ascending aorta were univariate predictors of stroke. Postoperative stroke was experienced in 55.9% of cases delayed appearing from 2nd postoperative day on. Stroke patients had a higher rate of mortality (14.7% vs. 1.0%, p = 0.001) and poorer survival than no-stroke patients (82.4% and 97.4% at one year and 61.2% and 89.7% at six years, p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The incidence of stroke seems to be on the same level in CABG patients from a low volume hospital as in reports from centres with a high volume of annual procedures. Stroke predicts higher mortality, longer intensive care unit (ICU) stay, longer hospitalisation and poorer survival. A relatively high number of stroke patients need permanent institutional care. Satisfaction-based quality of life in CABG patients also remains on a lower level in comparison to patients without neurological complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Vaasa Central Hospital, Vaasa, Finland. pertti.loponen@vshp.fi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Loponen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Taskinen
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Laakkonen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nissinen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Luther
authors.forename: J O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Wistbacka
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality