Perioperative dexmedetomidine improves mortality in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery

J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2014 Apr;28(2):267-73. doi: 10.1053/j.jvca.2013.06.022. Epub 2013 Oct 29.

Abstract

Objective: This study retrospectively investigated the effect of dexmedetomidine on outcomes of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery.

Design: Retrospective investigation.

Setting: Patients from a single tertiary medical center.

Participants: A total of 724 patients undergoing CABG surgery met the inclusion criteria and were categorized into 2 groups: 345 in the dexmedetomidine group (DEX) and 379 in the nondexmedetomidine group (Non-DEX).

Interventions: Perioperative dexmedetomidine was used as an intravenous infusion (0.24 to 0.6 µg/kg/hour) initiated after cardiopulmonary bypass and continued for less than 24 hours postoperatively in the intensive care unit.

Measurements and main results: Major outcome measures of this study were in-hospital, 30-day and 1-year all-cause mortality, delirium and major adverse cardiocerebral events. Perioperative dexmedetomidine infusion was associated with significant reductions in in-hospital, 30-day, and 1-year mortalities, compared with the patients who did not received dexmedetomidine. In-hospital, 30-day, and 1-year mortalities were 1.5% and 4.0% (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 0.332; 95% CI, 0.155 to 0.708; p = 0.0044), 2.0% and 4.5% (adjusted OR, 0.487; 95% CI, 0.253 to 0.985; p = 0.0305), and 3.2% and 6.9% (adjusted OR 0.421; 95% CI, 0.247 to 0.718, p = 0.0015), respectively. Perioperative dexmedetomidine infusion was associated with a reduced risk of delirium from 7.9% to 4.6% (adjusted OR, 0.431; 95% CI, 0.265-0.701; p = 0.0007).

Conclusion: Dexmedetomidine infusion during CABG surgery was more likely to achieve improved in-hospital, 30-day, and 1-year survival rates, and a significantly lower incidence of delirium.

Keywords: coronary artery bypass graft; delirium; dexmedetomidine; mortality; outcomes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / administration & dosage
  • Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / therapeutic use*
  • Aged
  • Cardiac Surgical Procedures / methods*
  • Cardiac Surgical Procedures / mortality
  • Cohort Studies
  • Coronary Artery Bypass / methods*
  • Coronary Artery Bypass / mortality
  • Delirium / epidemiology
  • Dexmedetomidine / administration & dosage
  • Dexmedetomidine / therapeutic use*
  • Electrocardiography
  • Female
  • Hospital Mortality
  • Humans
  • Infusions, Intravenous
  • Kaplan-Meier Estimate
  • Length of Stay
  • Logistic Models
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Odds Ratio
  • Postoperative Complications / epidemiology
  • Proportional Hazards Models
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • Survival Analysis
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Adrenergic alpha-Agonists
  • Dexmedetomidine