Newswise — PHILADELPHIA – Aspirin taken within five days of cardiac surgery is associated with a significant decrease in the risk of major postoperative complications – including renal failure, an intensive care unit stay, and even early death (30-day mortality), according to findings from an observational cohort study by researchers at Thomas Jefferson University and the University of California, Davis, Medical Center – set to appear in the journal Annals of Surgery.
Dr. Jianzhong Sun, an anesthesiologist at Thomas Jefferson University and lead author of the study; along with Dr. James Diehl, chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Jefferson and a co-author of the study; and Dr. Zvi Grunwald, chairman of Anesthesiology at Jefferson, say that these findings are significant because despite remarkable progress in cardiac surgery, the number of major complications from cardiac surgery remains high.
“Therapies targeted to prevent or reduce major complications associated with cardiac surgery have been few and ineffective so far,” says Dr. Sun. “These complications are significant and costly both for the public health and the quality of patient life.”
Adds Dr. Grunwald, “While we are excited that the study clearly showed that preoperative use of aspirin significantly reduced major complications and mortality in patients undergoing cardiac surgery, we do urge further study before recommending aspirin for cardiac surgery patients prior to surgery.”
The study team evaluated the impact of preoperative aspirin on major outcomes in adults (total 4,256 consecutive patients) who had cardiac surgery – mostly coronary artery bypass graft or valve surgery – at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and UC Davis Medical Center between 2001 and 2009. Among 2,868 patients who met the inclusion criteria, 1,923 were taking aspirin (within about 81 to 325 mg daily) at least once within five days preceding their surgery versus 945 not taking aspirin (non-aspirin therapy).
The outcomes showed that preoperative aspirin therapy (vs non-aspirin) is associated with a significant decrease in the risk for 30-day mortality, and for the composite outcome of major adverse cardiocerebral events, postoperative renal failure, and the average time spent in the intensive care unit.
Beneficial effects of preoperative aspirin use found in the current study “are in line with our previous findings and findings from early postoperative aspirin studies,” wrote Dr. Sun and colleagues in their paper.
“We know that aspirin can be lifesaving for patients who have experienced heart attacks,” said Dr. Nilas Young, chief of cardiothoracic surgery at UC Davis and a study co-author. “Now we know that this simple intervention can do the same for patients who undergo certain coronary surgeries. This outcome could lead to new preoperative treatment standards in cardiac medicine.”
The researchers acknowledge that bleeding remains a concern with preoperative aspirin therapy. However, they say, in the current era of cardiac surgery, the potential for bleeding may be avoided by using a low dose of aspirin and/or giving antifibrinolytic therapy perioperatively.
“Overall, the outcome benefits provided by preoperative aspirin therapy may override its possible risk of excess bleeding in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Nonetheless, further studies are certainly needed to examine this potential side effect carefully,” Dr. Sun and colleagues write.
Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals (TJUH) are dedicated to excellence in patient care, patient safety and the quality of the healthcare experience. Consistently ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the nation's top hospitals, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, established in 1825, has over 900 licensed acute care beds with major programs in a wide range of clinical specialties. TJUH is one of the few hospitals in the U.S. that is both a Level 1 Trauma Center and a federally-designated regional spinal cord injury center. TJUH patient care facilities include Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience, the region’s only dedicated hospital for neuroscience, Methodist Hospital in South Philadelphia, and additional patient care facilities throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey. TJUH partners with its education affiliate, Thomas Jefferson University.
UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, Calif., is a comprehensive academic medical center where clinical practice, teaching and research converge to advance human health. Centers of excellence include the National Cancer Institute-designated UC Davis Cancer Center; the region's only level 1 pediatric and adult trauma centers; the UC Davis MIND Institute, devoted to finding treatments and cures for neurodevelopmental disorders; and the UC Davis Children's Hospital. The medical center serves a 33-county, 65,000-square-mile area that stretches north to the Oregon border and east to Nevada. It further extends its reach through the award-winning telemedicine program, which gives remote, medically underserved communities throughout California unprecedented access to specialty and subspecialty care.
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