Biochemical Signals of Survival: A Study on Mortality Markers in Coronary Bypass Surgery Patients.

BACKGROUND

Coronary bypass surgery remains a cornerstone treatment for advanced coronary artery disease. Identifying reliable predictors of postoperative mortality can significantly enhance patient care and outcomes. This study investigates the prognostic value of preoperative and postoperative amylase levels, creatinine, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase as mortality markers in coronary bypass surgery patients.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective analysis of 343 patients who underwent coronary bypass surgery. We compared the preoperative and postoperative biochemical markers (amylase, creatinine, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase) of patients who died within the first week post-surgery (n = 52) and those who survived (n = 291). Statistical analyses included chi-square tests for categorical variables, t-tests for continuous variables, and receiver operating characteristic analysis for predicting mortality.

RESULTS

No significant difference was observed in the distribution of blood groups between deceased and surviving patients. However, significant differences were noted in gender distribution and mean ages, with higher mortality observed in older and male patients. Preoperative creatinine levels were significantly higher in patients who died compared to survivors. Postoperatively, deceased patients exhibited significantly higher levels of amylase, creatinine, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase. Receiver operating characteristic analysis revealed that postoperative amylase, creatinine, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase values were good predictors of mortality, with amylase being the most significant predictor.

CONCLUSION

This study highlights the importance of biochemical markers, particularly amylase, as predictors of mortality in patients undergoing coronary bypass surgery. The findings suggest that monitoring and managing amylase, creatinine, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase levels pre- and post-surgery could improve patient outcomes. This study lays the groundwork for further research into the mechanistic links between these biochemical markers and patient survival, potentially leading to improved prognostic tools and therapeutic strategies.