Coronary bypass surgery in juvenile onset diabetes

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is the major cause of death in insulin-dependent diabetics of juvenile onset (JODM). This report summarizes our experience in coronary artery bypass surgery performed between 1971 and 1980 on 13 JODM patients. Preoperatively, 12 of 13 patients had NYHA class IV symptoms with 78% of patients having either left main or multivessel coronary artery disease. With a mean follow-up of 4 years, 12 of 13 patients are alive and 8 of 12 are either NYHA class I or II. We conclude that in a select subset of JODM, bypass surgery can be performed with a low operative morbidity and mortality and results in long-term symptomatic improvement.