Abstract

The duration of ICU (intensive care unit) stay in cardiac surgery patients has an important role in the rate of complications and costs. The aim of this study was to determine the role of perioperative risk factors in clinical outcome based on the time of ICU discharge. In this descriptive study, 219 patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) surgery in Afshar Hospital in Yazd, an Iranian city, were divided into early (≤24 hrs) and late (>24 hrs) ICU discharge groups according to the duration of ICU stay. The preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative risk factors, the complications and the outcome were evaluated. Age, sex, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, previous myocardial infarction, renal failure, cerebrovascular accident, and level of hematocrit and creatinine were not significantly different between the two groups. Patients with hemodynamic instability, respiratory dysfunction, ejection fraction <35, hypertension, inotrope administration, left main coronary artery involvement, use of intraaortic balloon pump (IABP) and arrhythmia had significantly higher mortality and longer ICU stay (>24 hrs) compared to others (P value <0.05). The duration of intubation was significantly lower in the early discharge group (7.8 ± 3.8 hrs compared to 17 ± 9.9 hrs) than in the late discharge group. Time of ICU discharge depends on perioperative risk factors, and risk factor modification may improve clinical outcome.