HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Personal Folders Download to citation manager Permission Requests Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Brandrup-Wognsen, G. Articles by Herlitz, J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Brandrup-Wognsen, G. Articles by Herlitz, J.

European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, Vol 12, 304-311, Copyright © 1997 by European Association for Cardio-thoracic Surgery

ARTICLES

Predictors for recurrent chest pain and relationship to myocardial ischaemia during long-term follow-up after coronary artery bypass grafting

G Brandrup-Wognsen, H Berggren, K Caidahl, T Karlsson, H Sjoland and J Herlitz
Division of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Goteborg, Sweden.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the impact of coronary artery bypass grafting on chest pain during 2 years of follow-up after the operation and to identify predictors of chest pain and its relationship to myocardial ischaemia 2 years after the operation. METHODS: Patients were approached with a questionnaire at the time of coronary angiography (1291) and 3 months (1664), 1 year (1638) and 2 years (1613) after coronary artery bypass grafting. Two years after the operation, a computerised 12-lead electrocardiogram was obtained during a standardised bicycle exercise test (618). RESULTS: Prior to surgery, 37% of the patients were unable to perform physical activity compared with 6% after the operation (P < 0.0001 for change in degree of limitation). Only 3% had no chest pain at all prior to the operation, while 58% of the patients were free from chest pain 2 years after surgery (P < 0.0001). We found no correlation between patients reporting chest pain and signs of ischaemia at exercise test, but there was a highly significant correlation with chest pain during the exercise test (P < 0.0001). Independent predictors of chest pain were severity of preoperative angina (P < 0.0001), younger age (P = 0.0009), previous coronary artery bypass grafting (P = 0.003), duration of symptoms (P = 0.005), the need for prolonged cardiopulmonary bypass (P = 0.04) and the absence of left main stenosis (P = 0.04). CONCLUSION: Independent predictors of chest pain were identified 2 years after coronary artery bypass grafting. There was a dramatic improvement after coronary artery bypass grafting. However, almost half the patients complained of some kind of chest pain even after the operation. This chest pain correlated well with chest pain during the exercise test but not with signs of myocardial ischaemia.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				Y. Maor, Y. Cohen, L. Olmer, and B. Mozes Factors Associated With Health Indicators in Patients Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery* Chest, December 1, 1999; 116(6): 1570 - 1574. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]