Does the EuroSCORE identify patients at minimum risk of mortality from heart surgery?

Introduction and objectives. Risk of hospital death is one of the key factors considered by the clinical cardiologist when weighting indications for surgery. Risk estimation scales establish distinct levels of risk in quantitative terms. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether a low EuroSCORE value corresponds to low mortality in our setting. Patients and methods. During 1999-2000 we prospectively calculated the EuroSCORE for all patients who underwent isolated coronary (CS) or valvular (VS) surgery. We then analyzed intrahospital mortality of patients with a low EuroSCORE. The validation group consisted of patients who underwent surgery in 2001 and obtained a low EuroSCORE. Results. During 1999-2000 we identified 116 patients (16.2% of all patients treated with isolated CS or CV) with a low EuroSCORE (50 +/- 8.6 years; 65% male). Fifty-seven of these patients underwent isolated CS, and 59 of them isolated VS. Intrahospital mortality was zero. In 2001 we identified 59 (16.1%) such patients (49 +/- 8.7 years; 68% male), of whom 35 underwent isolated CS and 24 underwent isolated VS. Intrahospital mortality during this period was again zero. Conclusions. A low EuroSCORE identifies a population of patients with minimum risk of mortality after isolated coronary or valve surgery. The score may be useful as a sentinel indicator in analyses of the complex issue of quality of cardiac surgery.