Early outcome of a randomized comparison of off-pump and on-pump multiple arterial coronary revascularization

Background-Previous randomized comparisons of off-pump and on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) have yielded controversial results about the cardiac and neurological events and graft patency. In addition, these randomized studies were composed of CABG with a few arterial grafts. We performed a prospective randomized controlled study to compare off-pump and on-pump CABG with multiple arterial grafts. Methods and Results-Between July, 2002, and September, 2004, 167 consecutive unselected patients referred for elective primary CABG were randomly assigned to undergo multiple arterial off-pump CABG (n=81) or on-pump CABG (n=86). The clinical outcomes and S-100 protein, neuron-specific enolase, and maximum creatine kinase-MB levels were compared. Early graft patency was examined within 3 weeks after the operation by angiography. The number of grafts performed per patient (3.5 +/- 1.0 for off-pump CAB G and 3.6 +/- 0.9 for on-pump CABG) and the number of arterial grafts performed per patient (3.3 +/- 1.0 for off-pump CABG and 3.4 +/- 0.9 for on-pump CABG) were similar. Completeness of revascularization (completed grafts/planned grafts) was 98% in both procedures. There were no hospital deaths in either group. The operation time was significantly (P < 0.001) shorter in the off-pump group than in the on-pump group (267 60 minutes versus 307 59 minutes). The incidence of perioperative complications was similar. The frequency of no need for transfusion was higher in the off-pump group than in the on-pump group (80% versus 55%, P < 0.001). The S-100 protein levels at the admission into the intensive care unit were significantly (P < 0.001) lower in the off-pump group than in the on-pump group (0.20 +/- 0.11 ng/mL versus 0.34 +/- 0.22 ng/mL). The neuron-specific enolase levels at the intensive care unit admission were significantly (P < 0.001) lower in the off-pump group than in the on-pump group (10.4 +/- 9.0 ng/mL versus 16.9 +/- 6.9 ng/mL). Maximum creatine kinase-MB levels were significantly (P=0.046) lower in the off-pump group than in the on-pump group (17.1 +/- 16.7 IU/L versus 21.5 +/- 10.6 IU/L). The overall early graft patency rate with or without stenosis was the same (98%) in both groups, but the rate without stenosis was slightly worse in the off-pump group (93%) than in the on-pump group (96%) (P=0.093). The stenosis-free patency rate in the right coronary area was significantly (P=0.028) worse in the off-pump CABG group (90%) than in the on-pump group (99%). Conclusions-Off-pump CABG with multiple arterial grafts was as safe as the conventional on-pump CABG, with similar completeness of revascularization and early graft patency.