The Impact of Obesity on Postoperative Outcomes in Adults with Congenital Heart Disease Undergoing Pulmonary Valve Replacement.

OBJECTIVE

The impact of obesity on surgical morbidity in adults with congenital heart disease is currently unknown. The aim of our study was to investigate the impact of obesity on postoperative outcomes in adults with congenital heart disease undergoing reoperation for pulmonary valve replacement.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was performed assessing the influence of obesity on surgical outcomes. Obesity was defined as a body mass index ≥30 kg/m2.

RESULTS

The mean body mass index of the cohort was 25.9 ± 6.9 kg/m2 . The cohort included 71 patients with 17 patients (24%) being obese. There was no postoperative mortality. Obese patients had a longer hospital length of stay (6.6 vs. 4.7 days; P < .001) and increased incidence of postoperative arrhythmias (29% vs. 5.6%; P = .003) compared with nonobese patients. Multivariable analysis performed using logistic regression with backwards elimination demonstrated obesity was independently associated with hospital length of stay >5 days (odds ratio [OR] = 5.2; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.5-18.2, P = .01) and with increased postoperative arrhythmias (OR = 4.2; 95% CI: 1.7-40, P < .01).

CONCLUSIONS

Obesity is associated with increased morbidity in adults with congenital heart disease undergoing pulmonary valve replacement, including longer hospitalization and higher risk for postoperative arrhythmias.