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Published in: Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery 1/2021

Open Access 01-12-2021 | Heart Surgery | Research article

Cardiac surgery outcome during the COVID-19 pandemic: a retrospective review of the early experience in nine UK centres

Authors: Julie Sanders, Enoch Akowuah, Jackie Cooper, Bilal H. Kirmani, Mazyar Kanani, Metesh Acharya, Reuben Jeganathan, George Krasopoulos, Dumbor Ngaage, Indu Deglurkar, Patrick Yiu, Simon Kendall, Aung Ye Oo

Published in: Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery | Issue 1/2021

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Abstract

Background

Early studies conclude patients with Covid-19 have a high risk of death, but no studies specifically explore cardiac surgery outcome. We investigate UK cardiac surgery outcomes during the early phase of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Methods

This retrospective observational study included all adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery between 1st March and 30th April 2020 in nine UK centres. Data was obtained and linked locally from the National Institute for Cardiovascular Outcomes Research Adult Cardiac Surgery database, the Intensive Care National Audit and Research Centre database and local electronic systems. The anonymised datasets were analysed by the lead centre. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, propensity score matching (PSM), conditional logistic regression and hierarchical quantile regression.

Results

Of 755 included individuals, 53 (7.0%) had Covid-19. Comparing those with and without Covid-19, those with Covid-19 had increased mortality (24.5% v 3.5%, p < 0.0001) and longer post-operative stay (11 days v 6 days, p = 0.001), both of which remained significant after PSM. Patients with a pre-operative Covid-19 diagnosis recovered in a similar way to non-Covid-19 patients. However, those with a post-operative Covid-19 diagnosis remained in hospital for an additional 5 days (12 days v 7 days, p = 0.024) and had a considerably higher mortality rate compared to those with a pre-operative diagnosis (37.1% v 0.0%, p = 0.005).

Conclusions

To mitigate against the risks of Covid-19, particularly the post-operative burden, robust and effective pre-surgery diagnosis protocols alongside effective strategies to maintain a Covid-19 free environment are needed. Dedicated cardiac surgery hubs could be valuable in achieving safe and continual delivery of cardiac surgery.
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Metadata
Title
Cardiac surgery outcome during the COVID-19 pandemic: a retrospective review of the early experience in nine UK centres
Authors
Julie Sanders
Enoch Akowuah
Jackie Cooper
Bilal H. Kirmani
Mazyar Kanani
Metesh Acharya
Reuben Jeganathan
George Krasopoulos
Dumbor Ngaage
Indu Deglurkar
Patrick Yiu
Simon Kendall
Aung Ye Oo
Publication date
01-12-2021
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery / Issue 1/2021
Electronic ISSN: 1749-8090
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13019-021-01424-y

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