Significance of serum uric acid level and syntax score in long-term survival of cardiac surgery patients: Uric acid in cardiac surgery patients

Introduction: The connection between serum uric acid (SUA) and the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases has long been known. Despite the SYNTAX score emerging as useful for risk identification and stratification in the clinical practice of interventional cardiology, it has not been proven useful in cardiac surgical clinical practice. The aim of the paper is to examine the significance of SUA levels, the significance of the SYNTAX score and the Clinical SYNTAX score in predicting the long-term survival of cardiac surgery patients. Methods: A retrospective analysis of 160 cardiac surgery patients operated on between 2013 and 2014 was conducted. SUA, SYNTAX and clinical SYNTAX score was measured. In the follow-up period of 3 years, clinical outcomes of patients were tracked. Results: The average SYNTAX score was 25.2 ± 11.4, the average Clinical SYNTAX score was 26.9 ± 8.3. The average preoperative SUA level was 361 ± 94.1 mg/ dL. No statistically significant difference was found in the values of the ejection fraction, end-diastolic and end-systolic dimensions of the left ventricle in relation to the treatment outcome in the long-term follow-up (p > 0.05). Preoperative left atrial diameter was significantly higher in deceased patients (p = 0.013). No statistically significant difference was found in the average values of the syntax score in relation to the treatment outcome in the long-term follow-up (p = 0.388), while a statistically significant difference was found in the values of the clinical SYNTAX score (p = 0.029). A statistically significant difference was found in the preoperative values of SUA in relation to the postoperative occurrence of adverse cardiovascular events (p = 0.035). Conclusion: Significant predictors of mortality in the long-term follow-up of cardiac surgery patients were left atrial diameter and clinical SYNTAX score. Predictors of adverse cardiovascular outcomes were left atrial diameter, clinical SYNTAX score and preoperative serum uric acid level.