OBJECTIVE: We evaluated in-hospital outcomes of diabetic and nondiabetic patients aged over 70 years after isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). PATIENTS AND SETTING: All patients aged over 70 years at our center, who underwent CABG between January 2003 and December 2008, were entered into this study. Diabetes in this study was defined as the need for oral medication or insulin. METHODS: The relevant preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative characteristics of selected patients were investigated, compiled, and retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: One hundred and twenty-one diabetic patients aged over 70 years, accounting for 30.8% of the total population, were entered into this study. Diabetic patients aged over 70 years were more likely to present with left main trunk disease (P=.0194), and less likely to have undergone previous percutaneous coronary intervention (P=.0121), compared with their nondiabetic counterparts. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that diabetic patients aged over 70 years had a higher rate only of deep sternal wound infection (odds ratio, 2.28; 95% confidence interval, 1.29 to 6.84; P=.0028), while sharing similar rates for other morbidities and mortality compared with nondiabetic patients aged over 70 years. CONCLUSIONS: Elderly diabetic patients are not at significantly increased risk from CABG, compared with their nondiabetic peers.
OBJECTIVE: We evaluated in-hospital outcomes of diabetic and nondiabeticpatients aged over 70 years after isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). PATIENTS AND SETTING: All patients aged over 70 years at our center, who underwent CABG between January 2003 and December 2008, were entered into this study. Diabetes in this study was defined as the need for oral medication or insulin. METHODS: The relevant preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative characteristics of selected patients were investigated, compiled, and retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: One hundred and twenty-one diabeticpatients aged over 70 years, accounting for 30.8% of the total population, were entered into this study. Diabeticpatients aged over 70 years were more likely to present with left main trunk disease (P=.0194), and less likely to have undergone previous percutaneous coronary intervention (P=.0121), compared with their nondiabetic counterparts. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that diabeticpatients aged over 70 years had a higher rate only of deep sternal wound infection (odds ratio, 2.28; 95% confidence interval, 1.29 to 6.84; P=.0028), while sharing similar rates for other morbidities and mortality compared with nondiabeticpatients aged over 70 years. CONCLUSIONS: Elderly diabeticpatients are not at significantly increased risk from CABG, compared with their nondiabetic peers.