The effect of cardiovascular risk factors and coronary atherosclerosis severity on long-term patency rates of grafts after coronary artery bypass grafting

The coronary artery disease (CAD) is known as the most important reason of mortality and morbidity in all world. There are many risk factors causing CAD. These risk factors should be known well for primary and secondary prevention. Atherosclerosis continue to progress in the native arteries and graft arteries after the coronary artery by-pass grafting (CABG). Success is directly proportional to graft patency after CABG. In our study, we investigated the effects of cardiovascular (CV) risk factors and coronary atherosclerosis severity determined coronary angiographically on long term graft life after CABG.The study included 974 patients (738 male, 236 female, mean age 57.9 ± 9.0 years) undergoing CABG between 1990-2010 years and had control coronary angiography in follow-up. Patient?s demographics data, CV risk factors and biochemical parameters were recorded retrospectively. The results of coronary angiography before and after operation were examined. CAD severity score was calculated by using Gensini score index. The effect of CAD risk factors on graft patency rate was analyzed.In our study, family history (p=0.005), age (p=< 0.001), and smoking (p=0.004) were effective in the development of all graft occlusion. Tip 2 DM (p= 0.02) and gensini score index (p=0.03) were effective in the development of LIMA graft occlusion. Age (p=0.002), smoking (p=0.002), gensini score index ( p=0.002) were effective in the development of SVG graft occlusion. According to early and late results of control coronary angiography, patency rate of arterial grafts was found to be higher than patency rate of venous graft.As a conclusion, atherosclerotic process is multifactorial. Although CV risk factors have a limited effect on patency rate of graft, for primary and secondary prevention CAD risk factors should be continued to struggle against.Key words: Coronary artery disease, Cardiovascular risk factors, Coronary artery bypass grafting