Intensive care unit length of stay and mortality comparison between on-pump and off-pump coronary artery bypass graft: a retrospective study

BACKGROUND: Recently, coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) techniques, both on-pump (ONCABG) and off-pump (OPCABG), were compared to seek the most effective approach to reduce the cost of prolonged intensive care unit length of stay (ICU LOS) and mortality. This study aims to compare ICU LOS and mortality in ONCABG and OPCABG. RESULTS: Demographic data of 1569 patients show the variance of characteristics. The analysis shows significant and longer ICU LOS in OPCABG than ONCABG (2.151 ± 0.100 vs. 1.573 ± 0.246 days; p = 0.028). Similar results were demonstrated after adjustment of covariates effects (3.146 ± 0.281 vs. 2.548 ± 0.245 days; p = 0,022). Logistic regression shows no significant difference in mortality in OPCABG and ONCABG, both in the unadjusted (OR [CI 95%] 1.133 [0.485–2.800]; p = 0.733) and the adjusted models (OR [CI 95%] 1.133 [0.482–2.817]; p = 0,735). CONCLUSION: ICU LOS was significantly longer in OPCABG patients than in ONCABG patients in the author's centre. There was no significant difference in mortality between the two groups. This finding highlights a discrepancy between recently published theories and the practices observed in the author's centre.