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Pulmonary hypertension and associated outcomes in noncardiac surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Abstract
Background
Some studies suggest that patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) may be at higher risk of complications and death after noncardiac surgery. However, the magnitude of these associations is unclear.
Objectives
To determine the associations between PH and adverse outcomes after noncardiac surgery.
Methods
We searched PUBMED and EMBASE for studies published from January 1970 to April 2022. We included studies that reported the association between PH and one or more outcomes of interest occurring after noncardiac surgery. Data were pooled using random-effects models and reported as summary odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
Results
Eighteen studies met eligibility criteria (n=18,214,760). PH was independently associated with mortality (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 2.09; 95% CI, 1.51-2.90; I²=98%; 8 studies). PH was associated with a higher unadjusted risk of deep venous thrombosis (OR 4.02; 95% CI, 2.14-7.54; I²=85%; 3 studies), pulmonary embolism (OR 4.16; 95% CI, 3.23-5.36; I²=69%; 7 studies), myocardial infarction (OR 1.49; 95% CI, 1.44-1.54; I²=0%; 5 studies), congestive heart failure or cardiogenic shock (OR 3.37; 95% CI, 1.73–6.60; I²=34%; 5 studies), length of hospital stay (mean difference 1.97 days; 95% CI, 0.81–3.12; I²=99%; 5 studies), and delayed extubation (OR 5.98; 95% CI, 1.70–21.02; I²=3%; 3 studies). PH was associated with lower unadjusted risk of postoperative stroke (OR 0.93; 95% CI, 0.88–0.98; I²=0%; 3 studies).
Conclusion
PH is a predictor of morbidity and mortality after noncardiac surgery. High quality studies are needed to determine effective strategies for reducing postoperative complications in this population.
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Abstract Background The purpose of this retrospective study was to investigate the determinants of postoperative respiratory failure in elderly patients with hip fracture. Methods The subjects of this study were 663 elderly patients who had hip fracture and had been treated with total hip arthroplasty at our hospital from January 2014 to May 2020. According to the occurrence of postoperative respiratory failure, 626 patients with no respiratory failure were retrospectively included in the control group, and 37 cases combined with respiratory failure were enrolled in the PRF group. The clinical and surgical data of the two groups were collected and analyzed to evaluate the determinants of respiratory failure by logistic regression analysis. Results There were no significant differences in the demographics and baseline variables including age, gender, fracture type and location between the groups (P > 0.05). All patients received hip surgery including total hip arthroplasty (THA), hemiarthroplasty (HA) and internal fixation with PFNA (proximal femoral nail anti-rotation). There were no significant differences in operative time and intraoperative blood loss between the groups (P > 0.05). However, close associations were found between pulmonary hypertension (univariate analysis: OR = 3.792, 95% CI = 1.421–10.203; multivariate analysis: OR = 1.132, 95% CI = 1.003–1.251), obstructive pulmonary disease (OR = 1.119, 95% CI = 1.009–1.238; multivariate analysis: OR = 13.298, 95% CI = 4.021–43.298), bronchiectasis and emphysema (OR = 4.949, 95% CI = 1.919–9.873; multivariate analysis: OR = 11.231, 95% CI = 187.87), and history of respiratory failure (OR = 6.098, 95% CI = 2.012–12.198; multivariate analysis: OR = 8.389, 95% CI = 2.391–21.982) with postoperative respiratory failure (P
The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement, published in 2009, was designed to help systematic reviewers transparently report why the review was done, what the authors did, and what they found. Over the past decade, advances in systematic review methodology and terminology have necessitated an update to the guideline. The PRISMA 2020 statement replaces the 2009 statement and includes new reporting guidance that reflects advances in methods to identify, select, appraise, and synthesise studies. The structure and presentation of the items have been modified to facilitate implementation. In this article, we present the PRISMA 2020 27-item checklist, an expanded checklist that details reporting recommendations for each item, the PRISMA 2020 abstract checklist, and the revised flow diagrams for original and updated reviews.
Objective:
A background of Pulmonary Hypertension (PH) indicates a progressive elevation of pulmonary vascular resistance, leading to overfilling, elevation of venous pressure, congestion in various organs, and edema in the venous system. This study aimed to investigate whether PH is a risk factor for deep vein thrombosis (DVT) of the lower extremities after hip and knee replacement surgery.
Methods:
A total of 238 patients who received joint replacement of lower extremities in our department of orthopedics from January 2009 to January 2012 were examined by echocardiography and Color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) of the lower extremities. Based on pulmonary artery pressure (PAP), the patients were divided into a normal PAP group (n=214) and PH group (n=24). All the patients were re-examined by CDFI during post-operative care.
Results:
Among the 238 patients, 18 had DVT in the lower extremities after the operation. DVT total incidence rate was 7.56% (18/238). In the PH group, 11 patients had DVT (45.83%, 11/24), but in the normal PAP group, only 7 had DVT (3.27%, 7/214). The incidence of DVT was significantly lower in the normal PAP group than in the PH group (P<0.01). In addition, there was a positive correlation between PAP and the incidence of DVT.
Conclusion:
PH could be a high-risk factor for the occurrence of DVT in patient's lower extremities after joint replacement surgeries.
Since the 1st World Symposium on Pulmonary Hypertension (WSPH) in 1973, pulmonary hypertension (PH) has been arbitrarily defined as mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) ≥25 mmHg at rest, measured by right heart catheterisation. Recent data from normal subjects has shown that normal mPAP was 14.0±3.3 mmHg. Two standard deviations above this mean value would suggest mPAP >20 mmHg as above the upper limit of normal (above the 97.5th percentile). This definition is no longer arbitrary, but based on a scientific approach. However, this abnormal elevation of mPAP is not sufficient to define pulmonary vascular disease as it can be due to an increase in cardiac output or pulmonary arterial wedge pressure. Thus, this 6th WSPH Task Force proposes to include pulmonary vascular resistance ≥3 Wood Units in the definition of all forms of pre-capillary PH associated with mPAP >20 mmHg. Prospective trials are required to determine whether this PH population might benefit from specific management.
Regarding clinical classification, the main Task Force changes were the inclusion in group 1 of a subgroup “pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) long-term responders to calcium channel blockers”, due to the specific prognostic and management of these patients, and a subgroup “PAH with overt features of venous/capillaries (pulmonary veno-occlusive disease/pulmonary capillary haemangiomatosis) involvement”, due to evidence suggesting a continuum between arterial, capillary and vein involvement in PAH.
Background:
The World Health Organization recognizes 5 groups of pulmonary hypertension (PH), categorized by pathogenesis or comorbidity: 1-pulmonary arterial hypertension 2-left-heart disease, 3-lung disease and hypoxia 4-chronic thromboembolic disease, and 5-miscellaneous. The epidemiology of PH, apart from group 1, is largely unknown.
Methods and results:
We describe incidence, prevalence, comorbidities, mortality and prescribing patterns for groups 1 to 4 PH from 1993 to 2012. Case definitions are based on hospitalizations and emergency department visits, using the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences data, which comprises linked databases of universal coverage health service records for Ontario residents. This cohort included 50 529 patients with PH. The annual incidence of adult PH increased from 2003 to 2012 from 24.1 to 28.7 cases/100 000 population and the annual prevalence from 1993 to 2012 from 99.8 to 127.3 cases/100 000 population, respectively. The most common form of adult PH was group 2, alone (34.2%) or combined with group 3 PH (29.3%). A diagnosis of PH increased the 1-year standardized mortality ratio 7.2-fold. Mortality in adults with PH was 13.0%, 36.4%, and 62.4%, at 30 days, 1 year, and 5 years, respectively. Mortality was highest in groups 2 and 3 and lowest in group 1. PH was present in only 3.6% of people with left heart disease, 0.7% with lung disease, and 1.4% with thromboembolic disease, suggesting that PH is a relatively rare complication of these common diseases. Children (age<16 years) accounted for 3.6% of the cohort. In children group 1 PH was most common (65.2%), and 5-year mortality was lower (21.4%) than in adults. Group 1-specific PH therapies were increasingly prescribed over time and paradoxically were often used in patients who seemed to have group 2, PH based on diagnostic codes indicating left heart disease.
Conclusions:
The incidence and prevalence of adult PH are increasing. Groups 2 and 3 are the most common and lethal forms of PH. This study identifies an emerging epidemic of PH that likely has substantial adverse health and economic implications.
Introduction:
The impact of pulmonary artery hypertension on post-operative outcome in elective, non-cardiac surgery is incompletely understood. This study was designed to evaluate the post-operative outcome of patients undergoing elective, non-cardiac surgery with and without pulmonary hypertension.
Methods:
The study was conducted in an inner-city hospital in Bronx, New York. A retrospective chart review was conducted on all patients who underwent elective, non- cardiac surgery from January 2000 to December 2010 and had echocardiogram within 30 days of surgery. Patients with systolic pressure of ≥35mm of Hg as estimated by echocardiogram were enrolled. Case matched peers with normal pulmonary pressures served as controls. Post-operative outcomes were compared between the two groups.
Results:
A total of 66 patients were analysed, 33 cases and 33 controls. All patients were followed up to 30-day post-surgery. Heart failure, myocardial infarction, arrhythmia, stroke, delayed extubation and deaths were measured in both the groups. There were two deaths in the control group while there were three deaths in pulmonary hypertension group (statistically not significant, P >0.05). A total of three patients in pulmonary hypertension group had adverse outcome (one had a major arrhythmia, one had delayed extubation (>24 hours) and one had stroke). Whereas two patients in control group had adverse outcome (one had delayed extubation (>24 hours) and one had major arrhythmia).
Conclusions:
Pulmonary hypertension does not affect the post-operative outcome in the first 30 days for elective non-cardiac surgery.
Morbidity and mortality risk increase considerably for patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) undergoing non-cardiac surgery. Unfortunately, there are no comprehensive, evidence-based guidelines for perioperative evaluation and management of these patients. We present a brief review of the literature on perioperative outcomes for patients with PH and describe the implementation of a collaborative perioperative management program for these high-risk patients at a tertiary academic center.
Objectives:
To describe the effect of implementing a contemporary perioperative pulmonary hypertension (PH)-targeted protocol in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) undergoing noncardiac surgery (NCS).
Methods:
The data of consecutive patients with PAH diagnosed by right heart catheterization who underwent NCS between January 1, 2006 and February 9, 2016 were reviewed. Patient demographics, etiology of PAH, clinical features, diagnostic data, utilization of PH-specific medications, and trend of perioperative complications rate were recorded during the study period.
Results:
In the base cohort of 375 patients, 37 had NCS. The mean age at surgery was 62 years. Most patients were women (78%) classified in group 1 PAH. At the time of the surgery, 86% were New York Heart Association functional class III/IV and 97% had American Society of Anesthesiologists classifications 3 and 4. A larger proportion of patients displayed lower PAH risk scores between 2006 and 2011 (P = 0.045). Conversely, a higher percentage of patients exhibited moderately high to very high PAH risk scores between 2012 and 2016 (P = 0.003). Perioperative and anesthetic-related morbidity was 27%, and no difference was observed between either period (P = 0.944). Most of the complications (70%) were related to general anesthesia. Two deaths (5%) occurred in our study group, both during the 2006-2011 period.
Conclusions:
The combination of a multidisciplinary perioperative approach, utilization of novel pulmonary vascular disease-targeted therapy, adequate perioperative optimization, and thoughtful selection of anesthetic technique seems to be a potential strategy to at least maintain similar perioperative outcomes among higher- and lower-risk patients with PAH undergoing NCS.
Background:
Benzodiazepines are a widely used medication in developed countries, particularly among elderly patients. However, benzodiazepines are known to affect memory and cognition and might thus enhance the risk of dementia. The objective of this review is to synthesize evidence from observational studies that evaluated the association between benzodiazepines use and dementia risk.
Summary:
We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled observational studies to evaluate the risk of benzodiazepines use on dementia outcome. All control observational studies that compared dementia outcome in patients with benzodiazepine use with a control group were included. We calculated pooled ORs using a random-effects model. Ten studies (of 3,696 studies identified) were included in the systematic review, of which 8 studies were included in random-effects meta-analysis and sensitivity analyses. Odds of dementia were 78% higher in those who used benzodiazepines compared with those who did not use benzodiazepines (OR 1.78; 95% CI 1.33-2.38). In subgroup analysis, the higher association was still found in the studies from Asia (OR 2.40; 95% CI 1.66-3.47) whereas a moderate association was observed in the studies from North America and Europe (OR 1.49; 95% CI 1.34-1.65 and OR 1.43; 95% CI 1.16-1.75). Also, diabetics, hypertension, cardiac disease, and statin drugs were associated with increased risk of dementia but negative association was observed in the case of body mass index. There was significant statistical and clinical heterogeneity among studies for the main analysis and most of the sensitivity analyses. There was significant statistical and clinical heterogeneity among the studies for the main analysis and most of the sensitivity analyses. Key Messages: Our results suggest that benzodiazepine use is significantly associated with dementia risk. However, observational studies cannot clarify whether the observed epidemiologic association is a causal effect or the result of some unmeasured confounding variable. Therefore, more research is needed.
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses have become increasingly important in health care. Clinicians read them to keep up to date with their field [1],[2], and they are often used as a starting point for developing clinical practice guidelines. Granting agencies may require a systematic review to ensure there is justification for further research [3], and some health care journals are moving in this direction [4]. As with all research, the value of a systematic review depends on what was done, what was found, and the clarity of reporting. As with other publications, the reporting quality of systematic reviews varies, limiting readers' ability to assess the strengths and weaknesses of those reviews.
Several early studies evaluated the quality of review reports. In 1987, Mulrow examined 50 review articles published in four leading medical journals in 1985 and 1986 and found that none met all eight explicit scientific criteria, such as a quality assessment of included studies [5]. In 1987, Sacks and colleagues [6] evaluated the adequacy of reporting of 83 meta-analyses on 23 characteristics in six domains. Reporting was generally poor; between one and 14 characteristics were adequately reported (mean = 7.7; standard deviation = 2.7). A 1996 update of this study found little improvement [7].
In 1996, to address the suboptimal reporting of meta-analyses, an international group developed a guidance called the QUOROM Statement (QUality Of Reporting Of Meta-analyses), which focused on the reporting of meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials [8]. In this article, we summarize a revision of these guidelines, renamed PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses), which have been updated to address several conceptual and practical advances in the science of systematic reviews (Box 1).
Box 1: Conceptual Issues in the Evolution from QUOROM to PRISMA
Completing a Systematic Review Is an Iterative Process
The conduct of a systematic review depends heavily on the scope and quality of included studies: thus systematic reviewers may need to modify their original review protocol during its conduct. Any systematic review reporting guideline should recommend that such changes can be reported and explained without suggesting that they are inappropriate. The PRISMA Statement (Items 5, 11, 16, and 23) acknowledges this iterative process. Aside from Cochrane reviews, all of which should have a protocol, only about 10% of systematic reviewers report working from a protocol [22]. Without a protocol that is publicly accessible, it is difficult to judge between appropriate and inappropriate modifications.
It was previously estimated that 234·2 million operations were performed worldwide in 2004. The association between surgical rates and population health outcomes is not clear. We re-estimated global surgical volume to track changes over time and assess rates associated with healthy populations.
We gathered demographic, health, and economic data for 194 WHO member states. Surgical volumes were obtained from published studies and other reports from 2005 onwards. We estimated rates of surgery for all countries without available data based on health expenditure in 2012 and assessed the proportion of surgery comprised by caesarean delivery. The rate of surgery was plotted against life expectancy to describe the association between surgical care and this health indicator.
We identified 66 countries reporting surgical data between 2005 and 2013. We estimate that 312·9 million operations (95% CI 266·2-359·5) took place in 2012-a 33·6% increase over 8 years; the largest proportional increase occurred in countries spending US$400 or less per capita on health care. Caesarean delivery comprised 29·8% (5·8 million operations) of the total surgical volume in poor health expenditure countries compared with 10·8% (7·8 million operations) in low health expenditure countries and 2·7% (5·1 million operations) in high health expenditure countries. We noted a correlation between increased life expectancy and increased surgical rates up to 1533 operations per 100 000 people, with significant but less dramatic improvement above this rate.
Surgical volume is large and continues to grow in all economic environments. A single procedure-caesarean delivery-comprised almost a third of surgical volume in the most resource-limited settings. Surgical care is an essential part of health care and is associated with increased life expectancy, yet many low-income countries fail to achieve basic levels of service. Improvements in capacity and delivery of surgical services must be a major component of health system strengthening.
None.
Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Background
Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is regarded as a risk factor for perioperative complications in patients undergoing noncardiac surgery.
Questions/Purposes
The objective of this retrospective case–control study was to evaluate the adverse outcomes of pulmonary hypertension patients undergoing elective unilateral hip replacements.
Methods
We performed a retrospective case–control study of total hip replacement patients with pulmonary hypertension (cases) and without pulmonary hypertension (control). From the years 2003 to 2008, we identified a total of 132 patients undergoing primary total hip replacements with a diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension (right ventricular systolic pressure >35). The primary outcome assessed was the incidence of adverse events that occurred during the postoperative hospital stay. Secondary outcomes studied included length of hospital stay, mortality, and ability to reach certain physical therapy milestones.
Results
The PH group had significantly more adverse events than the control group. Nonlethal cardiac dysrhythmias comprised the most common adverse outcome among the PH group. Overall, the PH group had a morbidity rate of 34.7% while the control had a rate of 21%. The PH group had longer hospital stay (6.7 days vs. 5.9). Both groups had zero mortality during the hospital stay. The PH group had comparable rehabilitation recovery times than the control group.
Conclusion
This retrospective case–control study demonstrates that pulmonary hypertension patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty are more prone to adverse outcomes, especially cardiac dysrhythmias, and longer hospital stays.
The Registry to EValuate Early And Long-term pulmonary arterial hypertension disease management (REVEAL Registry) was established to provide updated characteristics of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and to improve diagnosis, treatment, and management.
Fifty-four US centers enrolled consecutively screened patients with World Health Organization group I PAH who met expanded hemodynamic criteria of mean pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) > 25 mm Hg at rest (30 mm Hg with exercise), pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) <or= 18 mm Hg, and pulmonary vascular resistance >or= 240 dynes x s x cm(-5). Patients meeting the traditional hemodynamic definition (PCWP <or= 15 mm Hg) were compared with those with a PCWP of 16 to 18 mm Hg.
Between March 2006 and September 2007, 2,967 patients enrolled. Among 2,525 adults meeting traditional hemodynamic criteria, the mean age was 53 +/- 14 years, and 2,007 (79.5%) were women. The mean duration between symptom onset and diagnostic catheterization was 2.8 years, and 1,008 (41.3%) patients were treated with more than one pulmonary vascular-targeted medication. Compared with patients meeting the traditional hemodynamic definition of PAH, patients with a PCWP of 16 to 18 mm Hg were older, more obese, had a lower 6-min walk distance, and had a higher incidence of systemic hypertension, sleep apnea, renal insufficiency, and diabetes.
Patients in the REVEAL Registry are older and more often female than in previous descriptions. Delays between symptom onset and diagnostic catheterization persist. Many treatment regimens are fundamentally empirical, and data will be required to determine outcomes, improve risk stratification, and develop and validate more precise prognostic tools. Patients with PCWP of 16 to 18 mm Hg differ in a number of important respects from those meeting the traditional hemodynamic definition of PAH.
Whether and how pulmonary hypertension (PH) impacts perioperative outcome in non-cardiac surgery is incompletely understood.
From November 1999, all patients undergoing non-cardiac, non-local anaesthetic surgery and ever examined by echocardiography within 30 days before surgery were screened. Those having echocardiographic pulmonary artery systolic pressure >70 mm Hg were enrolled provided they were not already intubated. Case-matched peers with normal pulmonary pressures served as controls. Perioperative outcomes were compared between the two groups, and predictors of adverse perioperative outcomes were investigated by multivariate logistic regression analysis.
From November 1999 to August 2004, a total of 62 patients (male 38, mean age 67 yr) with PH were found. Compared with the case-matched controls, patients with PH experienced equivalently smooth operative courses, but significantly more frequent postoperative heart failure (9.7 vs 0%, P = 0.028), delayed tracheal extubation (21 vs 3%, P = 0.004), and in-hospital deaths (9.7 vs 0%, P = 0.028). Multivariate regression analysis identified emergency surgery [odds ratio (OR), 44.738; P = 0.028], coronary artery disease (CAD; OR, 9.933; P = 0.042), and systolic pulmonary artery pressure (OR, 1.101; P = 0.026) as independent predictors of postoperative mortality and surgery-specific cardiac risk level (OR, 6.791; P = 0.033) and CAD (OR 6.546, P = 0.017) as predictors of morbidity.
PH is an important predictor of adverse cardiopulmonary outcome in non-cardiac surgery as reflected by markedly increased postoperative complications, especially in patients with coexistent high-risk clinical and surgical characteristics.
Background
While perioperative medical management during total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has improved, there is limited literature characterizing outcomes of patients with pulmonary hypertension (HTN). This study examined mortality, medical complications, implant survivorship, and clinical outcomes in this medically complex cohort.
Methods
We identified 887 patients with pulmonary HTN who underwent 881 primary TKAs and 228 revision TKAs from 2000-2016 at a tertiary care center. Patients were followed up at regular intervals until death, revision surgery, or last clinical follow-up. Perioperative medical complications were individually reviewed. The risk of death was examined by calculating standardized mortality ratios and Cox proportional hazards regression models. Cumulative incidence analysis was used for reporting mortality, revision, and reoperation with death as a competing risk.
Results
The 90-day mortality was 0.7% and 4.8% for primary and revision TKAs, respectively. The risk of death was two-fold higher compared to primary (hazard ratio 2.54, 95% CI: 2.12 – 3.05) and revision (hazard ratio 2.16, 95% CI: 1.78 – 2.62) TKA patients without pulmonary HTN. Rate of medical complications within 90 days from surgery were 6.5% and 14% in primary and revision TKAs. The 10-year cumulative incidence of any revision was 5% and 16% in primaries and revisions, respectively.
Conclusion
Patients with pulmonary HTN undergoing primary and revision TKAs had excess risk of death and experience a high rate of medical complications within 90 days of surgery. Counseling of risks, medical optimization, and referral to tertiary centers should be considered.
Background
Routine resting echocardiography has been suggested as a means to assess cardiac function and predict adverse cardiopulmonary events after bariatric surgery.
Objectives
The purpose of this study was to describe the findings of routine resting echocardiography in bariatric surgical candidates over a 3-year period and correlate them with observed adverse cardiopulmonary outcomes.
Setting
Tertiary-Care university-based referral hospital
Methods
We retrospectively reviewed 422 consecutive patients who underwent laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy or laparoscopic gastric bypass at our center over 3 years, of whom 321 (76%) received a routine resting preoperative echocardiogram. Abnormal preoperative echocardiogram findings and patient characteristics were recorded. The primary outcome measure was the number of adverse cardiopulmonary events within 30 days of surgery, a composite measure defined as myocardial infarction, sustained hypotension, stroke, new-onset arrhythmia, heart failure, intensive care admission for cardiopulmonary monitoring, or cardiac arrest.
Results
Routine screening preoperative echocardiogram revealed left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction in 7 patients (2%), LV diastolic dysfunction in 71 (22%), LV hypertrophy in 73 (23%), wall motion abnormalities in 4 (1%), pulmonary hypertension in 47 (15%), left atrial enlargement in 45 (14%), and LV enlargement in 6 (1%). Adverse cardiopulmonary events occurred in only 4 patients, all of whom had a history of coronary revascularization, and 3 of whom had a prior myocardial infarction. No finding on routine preoperative echocardiogram was associated with adverse cardiopulmonary events.
Conclusion
Routine resting preoperative echocardiography added little to the cardiopulmonary risk stratification of patients who underwent bariatric surgery. High-risk patients were identifiable based on their medical history, particularly those with a known history of coronary artery disease and coronary revascularization.
The landscape of pulmonary hypertension (PH) has changed significantly since the last Canadian Cardiovascular Society/Canadian Thoracic Society position statement in 2005. Since then, advances in our understanding of the pathophysiology of PH and improvements in diagnostic and therapeutic options have transformed the care of patients with PH. Globally, PH has an estimated prevalence of 1%, increasing to 10% in those aged 65 years and older, most commonly due to left heart or lung disease. Although pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is less common, the morbidity and mortality is significant and early diagnosis and treatment are essential. This document is targeted at clinicians and describes a framework for screening and diagnosis of PH, with recommendations for performance and interpretation of echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, and right heart catheterization. In addition, the current approach to PAH management in Canada including risk stratification and pharmacologic therapy aimed at achieving a low-risk profile is discussed. The rationale to avoid specific PAH therapy in patients with left heart disease and lung disease-related PH is emphasized, along with special considerations for the diagnosis and management of chronic thromboembolic PH. Future advancements in the identification of novel pathways and therapies, personalized approaches to direct therapy, as well as interventional approaches such as balloon pulmonary angioplasty for chronic thromboembolic PH promise to continue the rapid evolution of this field.
Background:
Preliminary data suggest that preoperative N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) may improve risk prediction in patients undergoing noncardiac surgery.
Objective:
To determine whether preoperative NT-proBNP has additional predictive value beyond a clinical risk score for the composite of vascular death and myocardial injury after noncardiac surgery (MINS) within 30 days after surgery.
Design:
Prospective cohort study.
Setting:
16 hospitals in 9 countries.
Patients:
10 402 patients aged 45 years or older having inpatient noncardiac surgery.
Measurements:
All patients had NT-proBNP levels measured before surgery and troponin T levels measured daily for up to 3 days after surgery.
Results:
In multivariable analyses, compared with preoperative NT-proBNP values less than 100 pg/mL (the reference group), those of 100 to less than 200 pg/mL, 200 to less than 1500 pg/mL, and 1500 pg/mL or greater were associated with adjusted hazard ratios of 2.27 (95% CI, 1.90 to 2.70), 3.63 (CI, 3.13 to 4.21), and 5.82 (CI, 4.81 to 7.05) and corresponding incidences of the primary outcome of 12.3% (226 of 1843), 20.8% (542 of 2608), and 37.5% (223 of 595), respectively. Adding NT-proBNP thresholds to clinical stratification (that is, the Revised Cardiac Risk Index [RCRI]) resulted in a net absolute reclassification improvement of 258 per 1000 patients. Preoperative NT-proBNP values were also statistically significantly associated with 30-day all-cause mortality (less than 100 pg/mL [incidence, 0.3%], 100 to less than 200 pg/mL [incidence, 0.7%], 200 to less than 1500 pg/mL [incidence, 1.4%], and 1500 pg/mL or greater [incidence, 4.0%]).
Limitation:
External validation of the identified NT-proBNP thresholds in other cohorts would reinforce our findings.
Conclusion:
Preoperative NT-proBNP is strongly associated with vascular death and MINS within 30 days after noncardiac surgery and improves cardiac risk prediction in addition to the RCRI.
Primary funding source:
Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
Objective:
Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a substantial preoperative risk factor. For this study, morbidity and mortality were examined after noncardiac surgery in patients with precapillary PH.
Design:
A retrospective cohort study.
Setting:
Quaternary medical center in Rochester, MN.
Participants:
Adults with PH undergoing noncardiac surgery.
Interventions:
None.
Measurements and main results:
The PH and surgical databases were reviewed from 2010 to 2017. Patients were excluded if PH was attributable to left-sided heart disease or they had undergone cardiac or transplantation surgeries. To assess whether PH-specific diagnostic or cardiopulmonary testing parameters were predictive of perioperative complications, generalized estimating equations were used. Of 196 patients with PH, 53 (27%) experienced 1 or more complications, including 5 deaths (3%) within 30 days. After adjustment for age and PH type, there were more complications in those undergoing moderate- to high-risk versus low-risk procedures (odds ratio [OR] 4.17 [95% confidence interval {CI} 2.07-8.40]; p < 0.001). After adjustment for age, surgical risk, and PH type, the complication risk was greater for patients with worse functional status (OR 2.39 [95% CI 1.19-4.78]; p = 0.01 for classes III/IV v classes I/II) and elevated serum N-terminal fragment of the prohormone brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) (OR 2.28 [95% CI 1.05-4.96]; p = 0.04 for ≥300 v <300 pg/mL). After adjusting for age, surgical risk, and functional status, elevated NT-proBNP remained associated with increased risk (OR 2.23 [95% CI 1.05-4.76]; p = 0.04).
Conclusion:
PH patients undergoing noncardiac surgery have a high frequency of complications. Worse functional status, elevated serum NT-proBNP, and higher-risk surgery are predictive of worse outcome.
Pulmonary hypertension (PH), defined by a mean pulmonary artery pressure of >25mm Hg at rest, is strongly associated with morbidity and mortality in the perioperative period. The prevalence and outcomes of PH among patients referred for major noncardiac surgery in the United States are unknown. Patients ≥18 years of age hospitalized for noncardiac surgery were identified from Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's National Inpatient Sample data from 2004 to 2014. Pulmonary hypertension was defined by International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision diagnosis codes. The primary outcome was perioperative major adverse cardiovascular events (MACCE), defined as in-hospital death, myocardial infarction, or ischemic stroke. Among 17,853,194 hospitalizations for major noncardiac surgery, 143,846 (0.81%) had PH. MACCE occurred in 8.3% of hospitalizations with any diagnosis of PH in comparison to 2.0% of those without PH (p <0.001), driven by an increased frequency of death (4.4% vs 1.1%, p <0.001) and nonfatal myocardial infarction (3.2% vs 0.6%, p <0.001). After adjusting for demographics, clinical covariates, and surgery type, PH remained independently associated with MACCE (aOR 1.43, 95% CI 1.40 to 1.46). In conclusion, PH is associated with perioperative major adverse cardiovascular events. Careful patient selection, recognition of perioperative risks, and appropriate intraoperative hemodynamic monitoring may improve perioperative cardiovascular outcomes.
The purpose of our analysis was to assess the effects of pulmonary hypertension (PH) on clinical outcomes of patients undergoing laparoscopic procedures. Pulmonary hypertension alters physiologic patterns that has the potential to complicate laparoscopic procedures, however, an in-depth analysis evaluating survival outcomes, complications, and associated comorbidities has not been done before. Data from the National Inpatient Survey were used to identify 179,663 patients without PH and 1453 patients with PH undergoing laparoscopic procedures from the years 2003-2013. In patients with pulmonary hypertension, the presence of the following comorbidities, congestive heart failure (OR 3.56) diabetes with chronic complications (OR 3.74) fluid and electrolyte disorders (OR 7.34) metastatic cancer (OR 14.42) and peripheral vascular disease (OR 3.12) increased in-patient mortality. In regards to post-operative complications, patients with PH were more likely to have cardiac complications defined as cardiac arrest, cardiac insufficiency, cardiorespiratory failure, or heart failure (OR 3.74). Patients with PH were also more likely to develop iatrogenic pneumothorax (OR 4.13) iatrogenic pulmonary embolism (OR 7.65) and post-operative urinary complications (OR 1.92). Overall, the comorbidity with the highest association with in-patient mortality was metastatic cancer and of all complications, patients with PH were most likely to develop iatrogenic pulmonary embolism. Preparing for these adversities, notably in patients with certain associated conditions has the potential to improve patient outcome.
Objectives:
Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is considered a contraindication for lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS). Because, it has been reported that endobronchial lung volume reduction may have a beneficial effect without increased mortality in patients with emphysema and PH, we evaluated its effect on PH in patients undergoing LVRS.
Methods:
From January 2014 until June 2016, 119 LVRSs were performed at Zurich University Hospital. PH was a contraindication for patients with homogeneous emphysema but was acceptable for those with heterogeneous emphysema. Thirty patients underwent echocardiography before and after LVRS, 10 of whom had preoperative systolic pulmonary artery pressures >35 mmHg and 20 of whom had normal systolic pulmonary artery pressure. The effect of LVRS on pulmonary artery pressure, lung function and survival was analysed.
Results:
Ninety-day mortality for all 30 patients was 0, and the postoperative course did not differ significantly between the 2 groups. In patients with PH, the median systolic pulmonary artery pressure decreased from 41 mmHg [interquartile range (IQR) 39-47] to 37 mmHg (IQR 36-38, P = 0.04). These patients had an improvement of forced expiratory volume in 1 s from the median 27% predicted (IQR 23-34) to 33% (IQR 28-40, P = 0.007) 3 months postoperatively.
Conclusions:
If further confirmed in other cohorts, mild to moderate PH may no longer be considered a contraindication for LVRS in patients with heterogeneous emphysema.
The Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) Guidelines Committee and key Canadian opinion leaders believed there was a need for up-to-date guidelines for patients undergoing noncardiac surgery that used the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system of evidence assessment. Strong recommendations included: 1) measuring brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) or N-terminal fragment of proBNP (NT-proBNP) before surgery to enhance perioperative cardiac risk estimation in patients who are ≥65 years of age, are 45 to 64 years of age with significant cardiovascular disease, or have a Revised Cardiac Risk Index (RCRI) score ≥1; 2) against performing preoperative resting echocardiography, coronary CT angiography, exercise or cardiopulmonary exercise testing, or pharmacological stress echocardiography or radionuclide imaging to enhance perioperative cardiac risk estimation; 3) against the initiation or continuation of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) for the prevention of perioperative cardiac events, except in patients with a recent coronary artery stent or undergoing carotid endarterectomy; 4) against α2-agonist or β-blocker initiation within 24 hours before surgery; 5) withholding angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) and angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) starting 24 hours before surgery; 6) facilitating smoking cessation before surgery; 7) measuring daily troponin for 48 to 72 hours after surgery in patients with an elevated NT-proBNP/BNP measurement before surgery or if there is no NT-proBNP/BNP measurement before surgery, in those who have an RCRI score ≥1, age 45 to 64 years with significant cardiovascular disease, or age ≥65 years; and 8) initiation of long-term ASA and statin therapy in patients who suffer myocardial injury/infarction after surgery.
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a debilitating disease characterized by pathologic remodeling of the resistance pulmonary arteries, ultimately leading to right ventricular (RV) failure and death. In this article we discuss the definition of PAH, the initial epidemiology based on the National Institutes of Health Registry, and the updated epidemiology gleaned from contemporary registries, pathogenesis of pulmonary vascular dysfunction and proliferation, and RV failure in PAH.
Guidelines summarize and evaluate all available evidence on a particular issue at the time of the writing process, with the aim of assisting health professionals in selecting the best management strategies for an individual patient with a given condition, taking into account the impact on outcome, as well as the risk-benefit ratio of particular diagnostic or therapeutic means. Guidelines and recommendations should help health professionals to make decisions in their daily practice. However, the final decisions concerning an individual patient must be made by the responsible health professional(s) in consultation with the patient and caregiver as appropriate.
Background: The Revised Cardiac Risk Index (RCRI) is widely used to predict perioperative cardiac complications. Purpose: To evaluate the ability of the RCRI to predict cardiac complications and death after noncardiac surgery. Data Sources: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and ISI Web of Science (1966 to 31 December 2008). Study Selection: Cohort studies that reported the association of the RCRI with major cardiac complications (cardiac death, myocardial infarction, and nonfatal cardiac arrest) or death in the hospital or within 30 days of surgery. Data Extraction: Two reviewers independently extracted study characteristics, documented outcome data, and evaluated study quality. Data Synthesis: Of 24 studies (792 740 patients), 18 reported cardiac complications; 6 of the 18 studies were prospective and had uniform outcome surveillance and blinded outcome adjudication. The RCRI discriminated moderately well between patients at low versus high risk for cardiac events after mixed noncardiac surgery (area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve [AUC], 0.75 [95% CI, 0.72 to 0.79]); sensitivity, 0.65 [CI, 0.46 to 0.81]; specificity, 0.76 [CI, 0.58 to 0.88]; positive likelihood ratio, 2.78 [CI, 1.74 to 4.45]; negative likelihood ratio, 0.45 [CI, 0.31 to 0.67]). Prediction of cardiac events after vascular noncardiac surgery was less accurate (AUC, 0.64 [CI, 0.61 to 0.66]; sensitivity, 0.70 [CI, 0.53 to 0.82]; specificity, 0.55 [CI, 0.45 to 0.66]; positive likelihood ratio, 1.56 [CI, 1.42 to 1.73]; negative likelihood ratio, 0.55 [CI, 0.40 to 0.76]). Six studies reported death, with a median AUC of 0.62 (range, 0.54 to 0.78). A pooled AUC for predicting death could not be calculated because of very high heterogeneity (I 2 = 95%). Limitation: Studies generally were of low methodological quality, had varied definitions of cardiac events, and were statistically and clinically heterogeneous. Conclusion: The RCRI discriminated moderately well between patients at low versus high risk for cardiac events after mixed noncardiac surgery. It did not perform well at predicting cardiac events after vascular noncardiac surgery or at predicting death. High-quality research is needed in this area of perioperative medicine. Primary Funding Source: None.
*Writing committee members are required to recuse themselves from voting on sections to which their specific relationships with industry and other entities may apply; see Appendix 1 for recusal information. ACC/AHA Representative. † ‡Society for Vascular Medicine Representative. §ACC/AHA Task Force on Practice Guidelines Liaison. American Society of Nuclear Cardiology Representative. ¶American Society of Echocardiography ║Representative. #Heart Rhythm Society Representative. **American College of Surgeons Representative. †Patient Representative/Lay Volunteer. †‡‡American Society of Anesthesiologists/Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists Representative. §§ACC/AHA Task Force on Performance Measures Liasion. ║Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions Representative. ¶¶ Former Task Force member; current member ║during the writing effort.This document was approved by the American College of Cardiology Board of Trustees and the American Heart Association Science Advisory and Coordinating Committee in July 2014.
HE PERIOPERATIVE MANAGEMENT of patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a growing concern for anesthesiologists worldwide as more patients with PH are presenting for elective noncardiac surgery. As a direct result of increased awareness and discovery of new medical therapies, patients with PH not only have a longer life expectancy, but also an improved quality of life. 1 Despite these recent advances, surgery still poses a significant risk for patients with PH. 2–5 A considerable amount of data already have been published showing increased mortality and morbidity in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with PH. 6–9 There are, however, much less data investigating the outcomes of patients with PH in the setting of noncardiac surgery. In a retrospective study by Ramakrishna et al, 42% of PH patients who underwent noncardiac surgery had 1 or more short-term morbid events, and 7% of patients had early death, which was due primarily to respiratory or right ventricular (RV) failure. 4 These outcomes have been compared to other high-risk populations undergoing noncardiac surgery such as elderly patients older than 80 years of age who experienced a mortality of 4.6%, 10 or those older than 65 years who experienced a mortality of 3.4%. 11 This review will discuss the classifications, pathophysiology, and the anesthetic management of patients with PH for noncardiac surgery.
Pulmonary hypertension is considered a poor prognostic factor for or even a contraindication to major lung resection, but evidence for this claim is lacking. This study evaluates the impact of pulmonary hypertension on morbidity and mortality following pulmonary lobectomy.
Adult patients who underwent a lobectomy for cancer and had a transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) performed within the year prior to the operation were included. Pulmonary hypertension was defined as an estimated right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) of ≥36 mmHg by TTE. The preoperative characteristics, intraoperative data and postoperative outcomes of patients with and those without pulmonary hypertension based on TTE were compared. A model for morbidity including published risk factors as well as pulmonary hypertension was developed by multivariable logistic regression.
There were 279 patients without pulmonary hypertension and 19 patients with pulmonary hypertension. Patients with pulmonary hypertension had a lower preoperative forced expiratory volume in 1 s and diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide than patients without pulmonary hypertension and a higher incidence of tricuspid regurgitation and mitral regurgitation, but the groups were otherwise similar. The mean RVSP in the group of patients with pulmonary hypertension was 47 mmHg. Perioperative mortality (0.0 vs 2.9%; P = 1.0) and postoperative complications (57.9 vs 47.7%; P = 0.48) were not significantly different between patients with and those without pulmonary hypertension. The presence of pulmonary hypertension was not a predictor of adverse outcomes in either univariate or multivariate analysis.
Lobectomy may be performed safely in selected patients with pulmonary hypertension, with complication rates comparable with those experienced by patients without pulmonary hypertension.
The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) collects detailed clinical data from participating hospitals using standardized data definitions, analyzes these data, and provides participating hospitals with reports that permit risk-adjusted comparisons with a surgical quality standard. Since its inception, the ACS NSQIP has worked to refine surgical outcomes measurements and enhance statistical methods to improve the reliability and validity of this hospital profiling. From an original focus on controlling for between-hospital differences in patient risk factors with logistic regression, ACS NSQIP has added a variable to better adjust for the complexity and risk profile of surgical procedures (procedure mix adjustment) and stabilized estimates derived from small samples by using a hierarchical model with shrinkage adjustment. New models have been developed focusing on specific surgical procedures (eg, "Procedure Targeted" models), which provide opportunities to incorporate indication and other procedure-specific variables and outcomes to improve risk adjustment. In addition, comparative benchmark reports given to participating hospitals have been expanded considerably to allow more detailed evaluations of performance. Finally, procedures have been developed to estimate surgical risk for individual patients. This article describes the development of, and justification for, these new statistical methods and reporting strategies in ACS NSQIP.
Perioperative myocardial infarction or cardiac arrest is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The Revised Cardiac Risk Index is currently the most commonly used cardiac risk stratification tool; however, it has several limitations, one of which is its relatively low discriminative ability. The objective of the present study was to develop and validate a predictive cardiac risk calculator.
Patients who underwent surgery were identified from the American College of Surgeons' 2007 National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database, a multicenter (>250 hospitals) prospective database. Of the 211 410 patients, 1371 (0.65%) developed perioperative myocardial infarction or cardiac arrest. On multivariate logistic regression analysis, 5 predictors of perioperative myocardial infarction or cardiac arrest were identified: type of surgery, dependent functional status, abnormal creatinine, American Society of Anesthesiologists' class, and increasing age. The risk model based on the 2007 data set was subsequently validated on the 2008 data set (n=257 385). The model performance was very similar between the 2007 and 2008 data sets, with C statistics (also known as area under the receiver operating characteristic curve) of 0.884 and 0.874, respectively. Application of the Revised Cardiac Risk Index to the 2008 National Surgical Quality Improvement Program data set yielded a relatively lower C statistic (0.747). The risk model was used to develop an interactive risk calculator.
The cardiac risk calculator provides a risk estimate of perioperative myocardial infarction or cardiac arrest and is anticipated to simplify the informed consent process. Its predictive performance surpasses that of the Revised Cardiac Risk Index.
The aim of this study was to determine the causes and pattern of hemodynamic changes during hepatic resection, performed without vascular exclusion technique, and to select the most appropriate methods for monitoring patient's condition during the surgery.
This prospective study included 55 ASA class I-III patients who had undergone hepatic resection surgery at the Clinic of Surgery, Hospital of the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (former Kaunas University of Medicine) in 2003-2008. Additional monitoring of central hemodynamic parameters, arterial blood pressure, central venous pressure, and pressure in the inferior vena cava using invasive methods was performed.
During the surgery, hypotension episodes (n=186) occurred in 53 out of 55 patients with a mean of 3.4 (SD, 2.0) episodes per patient. Changes (n=262) in femoral vein pressure were observed in 54 out of the 55 patients with a mean of 4.8 (SD, 3.2) episodes per patient. During the hypotension episode, significant changes in the mean arterial blood pressure, femoral vein pressure, cardiac output, cardiac index, systemic vascular resistance index, and central venous pressure were documented. There was a significant positive correlation between blood loss and number of changes in femoral vein pressure (r=0.5; P<0.001). Blood loss of more than 450 mL was observed in 69.0% of patients with increasing and 38.2% of patients with decreasing central venous pressure (P<0.01). Less than half (41.6%) of patients in the group of negative change in femoral vein pressure and 88.0% in the group of positive change in femoral vein pressure lost more than 450 mL of blood (P<0.001).
The most common hemodynamic changes during hepatic surgery include hypotension, decreased cardiac output and cardiac index, and elevated pressure in the inferior vena cava. More common cause of hypotension was clamping of the inferior vena cava, and less common was blood loss. Blood loss was related to the number of clamps of the inferior vena cava and increasing pressure in the superior vena cava. A cause of hypotension during hepatic resection may be determined by pressure monitoring in the superior and inferior vena cava.
Perioperative risk associated with pulmonary hypertension (PH) in patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery (NCS) remains poorly defined. We report perioperative outcomes in a large cohort of patients undergoing NCS, comparing those with and without PH.
Patients undergoing NCS at our institution between January 2002 and December 2006, were cross matched with a Right Heart Catheterization (RHC) database for the same period. Patients were excluded if they were <18 years old and if they underwent cardiac surgery prior to NCS or minor procedures using local anesthesia or sedation. Controls were defined as patients who underwent similar NCS with mean pulmonary arterial pressure (MPAP) ≤ 25 mmHg.
173 patients underwent RHC and NCS during the specified period and were included in the analysis. Of these 96 (55%) had PH. Mean pulmonary arterial pressure (p = 0.001), American Association of Anesthesiology Class (p = 0.02), and chronic renal insufficiency (p = 0.03) were determined as independent risk factors for post-operative morbidity. Patients with PH were more likely to develop congestive heart failure (p < 0.001; OR: 11.9), hemodynamic instability (p < 0.002), sepsis (p < 0.0005), and respiratory failure (p < 0.004). Patients with PH needed longer ventilatory support (p < 0.002), stayed longer in the ICU (p < 0.04), and were more frequently readmitted to the hospital within 30 days (p < 008; OR 2.4).
In addition to the traditionally known risk factors for outcomes after NCS such as coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, chronic renal insufficiency, American Society of Anesthesiology class, the presence of underlying PH can have a significant negative impact on perioperative outcomes.
This article is the first of a series providing guidance for use of the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system of rating quality of evidence and grading strength of recommendations in systematic reviews, health technology assessments (HTAs), and clinical practice guidelines addressing alternative management options. The GRADE process begins with asking an explicit question, including specification of all important outcomes. After the evidence is collected and summarized, GRADE provides explicit criteria for rating the quality of evidence that include study design, risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency, indirectness, and magnitude of effect. Recommendations are characterized as strong or weak (alternative terms conditional or discretionary) according to the quality of the supporting evidence and the balance between desirable and undesirable consequences of the alternative management options. GRADE suggests summarizing evidence in succinct, transparent, and informative summary of findings tables that show the quality of evidence and the magnitude of relative and absolute effects for each important outcome and/or as evidence profiles that provide, in addition, detailed information about the reason for the quality of evidence rating. Subsequent articles in this series will address GRADE's approach to formulating questions, assessing quality of evidence, and developing recommendations.
There is a paucity of perioperative outcomes data for patients with chronic pulmonary hypertension (PHTN) undergoing noncardiac surgery. Clinicians, therefore, have little information on which to evaluate the risk for morbidity and mortality in this patient population. In this study, we evaluated the incidence and risks of perioperative morbidity and mortality in patients with PHTN undergoing primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA).
Using the largest inpatient database in the United States (National Inpatient Sample), we identified entries for THA and TKA between the years of 1998 and 2006. Patients with the diagnosis of PHTN were identified and matched to those without the disease based on health-related demographic variables. Perioperative mortality was considered the primary outcome. Multivariate logistic regression models were fitted to assess the impact of PHTN on in-hospital mortality.
We identified 670,516 entries for TKA and 360,119 for THA. Of those patients, 2184 (0.3%) and 1359 (0.4%), respectively, had the diagnosis of PHTN (average annual rate of 1180 for TKA [range, 507-2073] and 739 for THA [range, 467-1054]). Patients with PHTN undergoing THA experienced an approximately 4-fold increased adjusted risk of mortality (2.4% vs 0.6%), and those undergoing TKA a 4.5-fold increased adjusted risk of mortality (0.9% vs 0.2%) compared with patients without PHTN in the matched sample (P < 0.001 for each comparison). Patients with primary PHTN undergoing THA experienced the highest mortality rate (5% [95% CI, 2.3%-7.7%]).
This analysis demonstrates that patients with PHTN are at increased risk for perioperative mortality after THA and TKA.
There has been a steady increase in elective TKA in elderly Koreans. However, there are few reports about the incidence of and risk factors for pulmonary complications, including pulmonary thromboembolism in these patients. We evaluated retrospectively 338 patients aged 60 years and over (290 females, median age 69 years) to assess the incidence and predictive factors for pulmonary complications, including pulmonary thromboembolism after TKA. Of these patients, 264 underwent simultaneous bilateral TKA (78%) by two surgeons and 56 (17%) had general anesthesia. No patient received thromboprophylaxis. There were 49 postoperative pulmonary complications in the 338 patients (14.2%, 49/338). Of the 49 patients, 27 developed atelectasis (27/49), six developed pneumonia (6/49), and four had pleural effusions (4/49) within 7 days of the surgery; 12 patients had a pulmonary thromboembolism (12/49) during their hospitalization. No pulmonary complication was fatal. Multivariate analysis revealed that pulmonary hypertension (right ventricular systolic pressure≥35 mmHg on transthoracic echocardiography; odds ratio (OR)=3.0, p=0.016) was independently associated with pulmonary complications. A resting PaCO(2)≥45 mmHg (OR=22.9, p=0.004) was the only independent predictor of the development of a pulmonary thromboembolism. Pulmonary hypertension may thus predict pulmonary complications and a PaCO(2) greater than 45 mmHg may be a risk factor for pulmonary thromboembolism following TKA. Preoperative blood gas analysis and transthoracic echocardiography can identify those patients at high risk for pulmonary complications, including pulmonary thromboembolism, after TKA in elderly Korean patients.
Patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension are believed to experience severe postoperative complications after major surgery.
We retrospectively analyzed the data of 21 patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension who underwent 28 surgical procedures at our institution between 1996 and 2002.
The average mean pulmonary arterial pressure was 53 +/- 14.4 mm Hg. Twenty-two procedures were performed under general anesthesia. Extubation occurred within 24 hours of surgery in 72% and an intensive care unit stay was not required after 43% of the procedures. Perioperative morbidity and mortality were typically related to the surgical procedure or underlying disease.
In our study, patients with moderate to severe pulmonary arterial hypertension had an 18% per procedure mortality and a 19% rate of right heart failure after surgical intervention.
Tools for assessing methodological quality or risk of bias in non-randomized studies
- Higgins
Abstract 12074: Perioperative Morbidity and Mortality in Patients with Pulmonary Hypertension Undergoing Noncardiac Surgery
- Lobato
An unforgotten predictor of perioperative outcome in patients undergoing noncardiac surgery: Pulmonary hypertension
- Biteker
Outcomes of noncardiac, nonobstetric surgery in patients with PAH: an international prospective survey
- Meyer