Effect of Obesity on Mortality and Morbidity After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Surgery in Iranian Patients

BACKGROUND: Recent years have witnessed the emergence of obesity as a major public health concern. The drastic rise in obesity and its concomitant co-morbidities is a reflection of the recent changes in dietary habits in Iran and many other developing countries. A recent large population study in Tehran reported that 58% and 75% of middle-aged Iranian men and women, respectively, were either overweight or obese. OBJECTIVES: Considering the impact of obesity on mortality and morbidity after coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG), we sought to investigate the association between central obesity and the body mass index (BMI) and the post-CABG mortality and morbidity in Iranian patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This prospective study was on 235 adult patients scheduled for isolated CABG in a university hospital. The patients were divided in two groups according to BMI ≥ 30 (obese; n = 60) and BMI < 30 (non-obese; n = 175). In-hospital and late (after 3 months) morbidity and mortality rates were compared between obese and non-obese patients. RESULTS: A total of 235 patients (135 women) with a mean age of 59 ± 9.2 years (range = 29 to 79 years), mean BMI of 27.3 ± 4.2 (range = 17 to 40), and mean waist circumference of 101.2 ± 14.7 cm (range = 55 to 145 cm) were included. By the third postoperative month, wound infection had significantly increased in patients with BMI ≥ 30 (P = 0.022). In-hospital and late morbidity and mortality rates were comparable between the two groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In our patients obesity was a risk factor for wound infection but not atelectasis or the need for intra-aortic balloon pump or re-exploration. Obesity was not associated with increased in-hospital or 3 months mortality rates after CABG.