Metabolic syndrome negatively impacts early patency of saphenous vein grafts

In Brief Background Coronary artery bypass grafting has been performed for a long period utilizing saphenous vein grafts, the fate of which might be crucial to prognosis following the operation. Metabolic syndrome, on the other hand, has become an increasingly important part of cardiovascular practice. We examined whether there was any negative effect of metabolic syndrome on saphenous vein graft patency in a relatively short term (≤5 years). Methods Coronary angiograms of 314 consecutive patients (mean age 62.6±8.5 years), having at least one saphenous vein bypass graft within the last 5 years, were evaluated. Results One hundred and twenty-one patients (group 1) had either an occluded saphenous vein graft or a saphenous vein graft with a significant lesion, and 193 patients (group 2) had patent saphenous vein grafts. Metabolic syndrome was present in 46.2% of all patients (n=145), in 57% of patients in group 1 and in 39.4% of patients in group 2 (P=0.002). Having metabolic syndrome increased the risk of saphenous vein graft occlusion or having a significant lesion on saphenous vein grafts by 2.04-folds. In multivariable logistic regression, smoking (P=0.015, odds ratio=1.88), metabolic syndrome (P=0.019, odds ratio=1.81) and diabetes mellitus (P=0.048, odds ratio=1.36) were found to be associated with poor venous graft fate in the relatively short-term period after bypass. Conclusion Metabolic syndrome seems to impact saphenous vein graft patency negatively in the relatively short term. Saphenous vein grafts have been used for coronary artery bypass grafting for a long period of time. Metabolic syndrome has become an increasingly important part of cardiovascular practice, and may impact venous graft patency negatively. We evaluated coronary angiograms of 314 consecutive patients having at least one saphenous vein bypass graft.Having metabolic syndrome or having a significant lesion on venous graft was found not only to increase the risk of venous graft occlusion by several folds on univariate analysis, but also to influence patency of venous graft independently.