Preoperative white blood cell count and mortality and morbidity after coronary artery bypass grafting.
BACKGROUND
Arteriosclerosis is increasingly viewed as an inflammatory disease. The purpose of these analyses was to examine the preoperative white blood cell (WBC) count, a generalized marker of inflammation, and to assess its association with in-hospital mortality and other adverse outcomes after coronary artery bypass grafting.


METHODS
Information was collected prospectively on 11,270 consecutive patients who had isolated coronary artery bypass grafting in northern New England from 1996 through 2000. Patients were divided into five categories based on their preoperative WBC count. Crude and adjusted in-hospital mortality rates and adverse event rates were calculated using logistic regression.


RESULTS
Increasing WBC count across its entire range was associated with a linear increase in the mortality rate. This finding was highly significant (p [trend] < 0.001) and persisted after adjustment for patient and disease characteristics. Patients with preoperative WBC of at least 12.0 x 10(9)/L had an adjusted mortality rate 2.8 times higher than those with a WBC less than 6.0 x 10(9)/L (4.8% versus 1.7%). An increasing preoperative WBC count was also significantly associated with increasing rates of perioperative strokes and the need for an intraaortic balloon pump but was not associated with mediastinitis.


CONCLUSIONS
The preoperative WBC count across its entire observed range is a statistically significant independent predictor of in-hospital death and other adverse outcomes after coronary artery bypass grafting. Although the cause of the association between increased WBC count and increased morbidity and mortality is unknown, the preoperative WBC count, which is objectively measured, inexpensive, and always available, can serve as a useful marker to help predict risk before coronary artery bypass grafting.
Dacey
Lawrence J
LJ
Department of Surgery, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire 03756-0001, USA. lawrence.j.dacey@dartmounth.edu
DeSimone
Joseph
J
Braxton
John H
JH
Leavitt
Bruce J
BJ
Lahey
Stephen J
SJ
Klemperer
John D
JD
Westbrook
Benjamin M
BM
Olmstead
Elaine M
EM
O'Connor
Gerald T
GT
D000368:Aged; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011446:Prospective Studies