BACKGROUND:

Discontinuing aspirin use in patients before coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) has focused on bleeding risks. The effect of aspirin use on overall mortality with this procedure has not been studied.

METHODS:

We performed a case patient-control patient study of the 8,641 consecutive isolated CABG procedures performed between July 1987 and May 1991 in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Patients included all 368 deaths. Each case patient was paired with approximately two matched survivors (control patients). Aspirin use was defined by identification of ingestion within 7 days before the operation.

RESULTS:

CABG patients using preoperative aspirin were less likely to experience in-hospital mortality in univariate (odds ratio [OR] = 0.73, 95% confidence interval [0.54, 0.97]) and multivariate [OR = 0.55, (0.31, 0.98)] analysis compared to nonusers. No significant difference was seen in the amount of chest tube drainage, transfusion of blood products, or need for reexploration for hemorrhage between patients who did and did not receive aspirin.

CONCLUSIONS:

Preoperative aspirin use appears to be associated with a decreased risk of mortality in CABG patients without significant increase in hemorrhage, blood product requirements, or related morbidities.