Can preoperative erythrocyte sedimentation rate serve as an indicator for midterm adverse events after coronary bypass grafting?
OBJECTIVE
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) may serve as a reasonably good indicator for coronary heart disease as usually ESR is elevated in these patients. The measurement of ESR is a very simple and cheap laboratory test that can be performed in routine blood examinations. In this study, we investigated the association between preoperative erythrocyte sedimentation rate and postoperative midterm adverse events after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).


METHODS
In the study, only male patients were included. The patients were divided into two groups: group 1 (preoperative sedimentation rate [&lt;20 mm/h] normal [n = 232, 63.9%]) and group 2 (preoperative sedimentation rate [&gt;20 mm/h] above normal [n = 131, 36.1%]). The hemogram and biochemistry panel values were measured one day before operation, on the postoperative first day, on the postoperative seventh day, and on the postoperative third month.


RESULTS
Among the laboratory values, there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups with respect to postoperative first-day ESR and postoperative third-month high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (P &lt; .05). In terms of postoperative morbidity, there was also a statistically significant difference (P &lt; .05) between the two groups with regard to pleural effusion, infection of the soft tissue over the sternum, pulmonary infection, return to the intensive care unit, rehospitalization, and mortality.


CONCLUSIONS
Elevated preoperative sedimentation rate is associated with postoperative adverse events in patients who undergo CABG. For this purpose, we suggest that patients with higher sedimentation rates undergo detailed examination to prevent mortality and morbidity.
Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Başkent University, Ankara, Turkey.
Turhan
T
Togan
Department of Cardiac and Vascular Surgery, Başkent University, Ankara, Turkey.
Murat
M
Günday
Department of Cardiology, Başkent University, Ankara, Turkey.
Özgür
Ö
Çiftçi
Department of Cardiac and Vascular Surgery, Başkent University, Ankara, Turkey.
Hakan
H
Bingol
D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D015984:Causality; D015897:Comorbidity; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000401:mortality* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000401:mortality* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D015996:Survival Rate; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology