title: Preoperative cardiac assessment in patients undergoing aortic surgery: analysis of factors affecting the cardiac outcomes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a standardized preoperative cardiac assessment in reducing the rate of perioperative cardiac complications in patients undergoing aortic surgery, paying particular attention to the analysis of the factors affecting perioperative cardiac outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January 2005 and August 2008, a total of 531 elective interventions for abdominal aortic aneurysms were performed at our institution. All patients underwent preoperative evaluation on an outpatient basis, which included a standardized cardiac assessment protocol to evaluate perioperative cardiac risk. A surgical (open or endovascular) intervention was performed in all patients and perioperative (<30 days) results in terms of overall and cardiac mortality and morbidity rates were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Preoperative electrocardiogram, transthoracic echocardiography, and cardiology consultation were performed in all patients. In 348 cases (65.5%), further evaluation of cardiac functional capacity with noninvasive stress testing was recommended. A positive noninvasive stress test was noted in 86 (24.7%) of 348 patients and coronary angiography was performed in 34 (39.5%) of 86 patients. Thirteen of these patients underwent successful coronary revascularization (11 percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, two coronary artery bypass graft) before vascular surgery. Thirty-day overall rate and cardiac mortality rate were 1.1% and 0.6%, respectively, and 30-day overall and cardiac morbidity rates were 11.5% and 6.8%, respectively. Univariate analysis demonstrated that in patients aged >80 years, chronic renal failure, congestive heart failure, valvular heart disease, positive noninvasive stress testing, and open surgical treatment significantly affected 30-day cardiac morbidity; however, only valvular heart disease and positive noninvasive stress testing maintained their significance with multivariate analysis (p = 0.005; 95% CI, 1.6-14.4; and p = 0.02; 95% CI, 1.2-8.1, respectively). None of the examined factors significantly affected 30-day cardiac mortality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our experience, the use of a routine preoperative cardiac assessment allowed us to obtain satisfactory perioperative results in patients undergoing abdominal aortic surgery. Very few patients, however, require cardiac revascularization before abdominal aortic surgery. Patients with positive stress test may benefit from an endovascular treatment if anatomically feasible.
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, University of Florence, Florence, Italy. nicola.troisi@alice.it
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Troisi
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Dorigo
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lo Sapio
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pratesi
authors.forename: Raffaele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pulli
authors.forename: Gian Franco
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Gensini
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pratesi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D006334:Heart Function Tests; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011300:Preoperative Care; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality