title: Cardiac function predicts mortality following thoracoabdominal and descending thoracic aortic aneurysm repair.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Previous studies have identified age, renal failure and aneurysm extent as predictors of mortality following thoracoabdominal and descending thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) repair. We studied the impact of coronary artery disease (CAD) and cardiac function on 30-day mortality following TAA repair.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between February 1991 and May 2001, we performed 854 TAA repairs. Two hundred ninety-one patients (34%) had a history of coronary artery disease. One hundred forty-one/291 (49%) had undergone coronary artery bypass surgery (CAB) prior to TAA repair. We conducted multivariable analyses of known risk factors along with the left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) and prior CAB to determine the adjusted effect of CAD on outcome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mortality in patients with CAD was 54/291 (18%) compared to 75/563 (13%) without CAD (P<0.05). In patients who had prior CAB, mortality was 31/141 (22%) compared to 98/713 (14%) patients without prior CAB, (P<0.02). In multivariable analysis, the effects of CAD and CAB on mortality were eliminated by consideration of a low EF (defined as less than 50%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Impaired left ventricular function appears to be the strongest cardiac predictor of mortality for TAA repair, independent of the presence of coronary artery disease or coronary artery bypass revascularization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Medical School, Memorial Hermann Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Cornelius A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Charles C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Tam T T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Huynh
authors.forename: Anthony L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Estrera
authors.forename: Eyal E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Porat
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vinnerkvist
authors.forename: Hazim J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Safi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000601:surgery; D001014:Aortic Aneurysm / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D017545:Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies