Obesity Impacts Mortality After Cardiac Surgery

Background: Nutritional status can interfere with postoperative morbidity and mortality, but few studies have analyzed patients in the late postoperative period. Objective: To assess the relationship between nutritional status and mortality, complications and length of stay after cardiac surgery. Methods: A prospective longitudinal study, involving patients that had undergone elective cardiac surgery, who were followed up for 180 days. Results: A total of 100 participants, with a mean age of 63.3 years, were included, 61% of whom were men, and 89% of whom were sedentary. A mortality rate of 9% in 30 days and 13% in 180 days were found. Death was not related to physical activity, food, smoking, alcohol consumption and comorbidities. Patients who died had a higher Tuman score. After 6 months, it was observed that the risk of death was 2.17 times higher in those who were obese. Mortality was related to the type of surgery: myocardial revascularization (p < 0.05), complications during surgery (p < 0.001), postoperative complications (p < 0.000) and obesity (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Postoperative mortality is related to obesity, such as surgical complications and the type of surgery performed.