Outcomes after cardiac surgery in patients with epilepsy: A nationwide analysis

Objective: To assess outcomes after cardiac surgery in patients with epilepsy. Methods: We queried the 2016-2019 Nationwide Readmissions Database for adult patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting, valve and aortic surgeries, or combination procedures. We compared mortality at index admission, complications, and 90-day readmissions between groups of patients with and without epilepsy before and after propensity-score matching. We used logistic regression analysis to evaluate the risk of adverse postoperative outcomes in the epilepsy group compared with their counterparts without epilepsy. Results: < .001 for all comparisons). Patients with epilepsy more frequently experienced specific complications, including stroke, pneumonia and respiratory complications, and infection/sepsis during index admissions. In the adjusted matched analysis, epilepsy was associated with a greater risk of mortality at index admission (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.34; 95% confidence interval, 1.20-1.50), overall complications (aOR, 1.35; 1.28-1.42), and 90-day readmission (aOR, 1.37; 1.29-1.45). Conclusions: Further studies are necessary to identify strategies to improve outcomes after cardiac surgery in patients with epilepsy, as they have greater associated risks of postoperative mortality, complications, and readmission.