Preoperative C-reactive protein and outcome after coronary artery bypass surgery

Abstract Background C-reactive protein (CRP) is a predictor of early and late outcome after coronary angioplasty, but there is scant data on its impact on the outcome after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Methods The predictive value of preoperative CRP was evaluated in a series of 764 patients who underwent on-pump CABG. Results During the in-hospital stay, 13 patients (1.7%) died, 45 (4.5%) developed low cardiac output syndrome, and 28 (3.7%) suffered minor or major cerebrovascular complications. Patients with a preoperative serum concentration of CRP≥1.0 mg/dL had a higher risk of overall postoperative death (5.3% vs 1.1%, p = 0.001), cardiac death (4.4% vs 0.8%, p = 0.002), low cardiac output syndrome (8.8% vs 3.7%, p = 0.01), and any cerebrovascular complication (4.4% vs 3.5%, p = 0.66). Preoperative serum concentration of CRP≥1.0 mg/dL was significantly more frequent among patients with history of myocardial infarction, diabetes, lower limb ischemia, low left ventricular ejection fraction, NYHA class IV, and in those undergoing urgent or emergency operation. At multivariate analysis, preoperative serum concentration of CRP ≥ 1.0 mg/dL ( p = 0.01, O.R.: 6.97) and left ventricular ejection fraction ( p = 0.01, O.R.: 0.95) were independent predictors of postoperative death. Postoperative mortality rate was 0.3% among patients with preoperative CRP p Conclusions Preoperative serum concentration of CRP in patients undergoing on-pump coronary artery bypass surgery is an important determinant of postoperative outcome.