Predictors of Diseased Ascending Aorta in Patients Undergoing Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery

Objective. To identify the preoperative risk factors associated with increased prevalence of atherosclerotic lesions of the ascending aorta among patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery (OPCAB). Material and Methods. OPCAB was performed in 241 patients who were intraoperatively investigated by epiaortic ultrasound for the presence of atherosclerotic lesions of the ascending aorta. The Northern New England Cardiovascular Disease Study Group (NNECVDSG) and the Multicenter Study of Perioperative Ischemia (McSPI) stroke risk scores were retrospectively calculated. Results. A diseased ascending aorta was detected by intraoperative epiaortic ultrasound in 74 patients (30.7%). Patient's age ( P = .002, odds ratio [OR] 1.067, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.025-1.110), diabetes ( P = .023; OR, 2.211; 95% CI, 1.117-4.378), extracardiac arteriopathy ( P = .014; OR, 2.567; 95% CI, 1.214-5.428) and urgent/emergency operation ( P P P Conclusions. These findings confirm the reported high incidence of a diseased ascending aorta in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery. Current stroke risk scores, particularly the simple NNECVDSG score, are valuable predictors of increased prevalence of a diseased ascending aorta.