title: Systematic strategy of prophylactic coronary angiography improves long-term outcome after major vascular surgery in medium- to high-risk patients: a prospective, randomized study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was undertaken to determine the impact of a strategy of systematic coronary angiography on immediate- and long-term outcome of patients at medium-high risk who were undergoing surgical treatment of peripheral arterial disease.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Despite pre-operative risk stratification according to the current guidelines, vascular surgery patients still represent a high-risk population, as 30-day cardiovascular complications and mortality rates still remain as high as 15% to 20% and 3% to 5%, respectively.
  
  
  METHODS
  In all, 208 consecutive patients scheduled for elective surgical treatment of major vascular disease and with a revised cardiac risk index > or =2 were randomly allocated to either a "selective strategy" group (group A, n = 103), in whom coronary angiography was performed based on the results of noninvasive tests, or to a "systematic strategy" group (group B, n = 105), consisting of patients who systematically underwent pre-operative coronary angiography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 2 groups were similar with respect to baseline clinical characteristics, revised cardiac risk index, and type of vascular surgery performed. The myocardial revascularization rate in group B was higher than in group A (58.1% vs. 40.1%; p = 0.01). In-hospital major adverse cardiovascular event rate was not significantly lower in group B (p = 0.07). At 58 +/- 17 months of follow-up, group B showed significantly better survival (p = 0.01) and freedom from death/cardiovascular events (p = 0.003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, a strategy of routine coronary angiography positively impacted long-term outcome of peripheral arterial disease surgical patients at medium-high risk. This is the first such demonstration in a randomized, prospective trial. Multicenter trials to confirm this finding in a larger population are warranted.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Cardiovascular Surgery, Istituto Clinico Pineta Grande, Castelvolturno, Italy.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Monaco
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stassano
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Di Tommaso
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pepino
authors.forename: Arturo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giordano
authors.forename: Giovanni B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Pinna
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Iannelli
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ambrosio
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009204:Myocardial Revascularization; D018579:Patient Selection; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016896:Treatment Outcome