Surgical ventricular remodeling for patients with clinically advanced congestive heart failure and severe left ventricular dysfunction.
BACKGROUND
Surgical ventricular remodeling (SVR) is an accepted therapy for post-infarction ventricular remodeling. Current literature on SVR outcomes has focused on heterogeneous populations with regard to left ventricular function and New York Heart Association (NYHA) class. We assessed outcomes after SVR in patients with advanced congestive heart failure (CHF) (NYHA Class III/IV) and a pre-operative ejection fraction (EF) < or =20%.


METHODS
Data were analyzed for 51 consecutive SVR patients from January 2002 to June 2004. Cardiac catheterization, echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) identified 62.7% (32 of 51) of patients with an EF < or =20%, with the majority having an EF < or =15% (65.6%; 21 of 32). Cox regression analysis was performed to determine predictors of mortality in patients with an EF < or =20%. Follow-up was 100% (32 of 32) complete.


RESULTS
Mean age was 61.9 +/- 10.3 (range 40 to 80) years with a male:female ratio of 27:5. Operative mortality was 6.3% (2 of 32). Twenty-two percent (7 of 32) had concomitant mitral valve procedures. Follow-up demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in left ventricular volumes and EF in survivors. Cox regression analysis identified the following to be significant predictors of mortality: pre-operative left ventricular end-systolic volume index >130 ml/m2; pre-operative diabetes; and intra-aortic balloon pump usage. Pre-operatively, all patients (32 of 32) were categorized as NYHA Class III/IV, with 69% (22 of 32) improving to NYHA Class I/II at follow-up (p < 0.01). Survival did not differ statistically between patients with an EF < or =20% and an EF >20% (n = 19).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate that SVR improves left ventricular function and functional status for patients with advanced CHF and a pre-operative EF < or =20%. Therefore, SVR is a viable surgical alternative for patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction.
Patel
Nishant D
ND
Heart and Lung Transplant Division of Cardiac Surgery, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland 21287, USA.
Barreiro
Christopher J
CJ
Williams
Jason A
JA
Bonde
Pramod N
PN
Waldron
Michele
M
Natori
Shunsuke
S
Bluemke
David A
DA
Conte
John V
JV
D000368:Aged; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D020257:Ventricular Remodeling