title: Costs and quality of life associated with radial artery and saphenous vein cardiac bypass surgery: results from a Veterans Affairs multisite trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery, there is uncertainty about whether the radial artery affects quality of life or costs relative to the saphenous vein. This study compared the cost and quality of life for patients randomized to either radial artery or saphenous vein grafts.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed the duration and cost of the index surgery and costs and quality of life (Seattle Angina Questionnaire and Health Utility Index) at 1 year for 726 participants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 2 treatment groups had similar baseline characteristics. Using the radial artery added approximately 31 minutes to the surgery (from skin incision to skin closure; P < .001) compared with a saphenous vein graft. There were no significant differences in terms of costs and quality of life after the index hospitalization or at 1 year.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Coronary artery bypass grafting with the radial artery lasts approximately 31 minutes longer than with the saphenous vein. However, costs and the quality of life were not statistically different.
authors.affiliation: Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, USA. Todd.Wagner@va.gov
authors.forename: Todd H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: Gulshan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sethi
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Holman
authors.forename: Kelvin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Faisal G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Bakaeen
authors.forename: Anjali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Upadhyay
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: McFalls
authors.forename: H Gareth
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Tobler
authors.forename: Rosemary F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Crittenden
authors.forename: Hoang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Thai
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Goldman
mesh_terms: D001803:Blood Transfusion; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods; D017707:Erythrocyte Transfusion; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D010949:Plasma; D011788:Quality of Life; D017534:Radial Artery / Q000637:transplantation*; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000637:transplantation*; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs