Association Between SYNTAX Score and Carotid Artery Stenosis in Patients Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG)

Background: Stroke as a complication of open-heart surgery can be a cause of death and widespread disability. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the relationship between the SYNTAX Score and carotid artery stenosis and evaluate patients undergoing open-heart surgery in terms of postoperative complications and mortality in a six-month to two-year follow-up period. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 113 patients with CAD who underwent open-heart surgery at our hospital from 2016 to 2017. After collecting demographic data, the SYNTAX score, and color Doppler sonography report, the data were recorded and analyzed by SPSS22. Results: In our study, most patients were male and aged between 50 and 70 years. The mean SYNTAX score was 32.667 + 13.668 in the group with significant carotid stenosis, 33.926 + 9.387 in the group with no significant carotid stenosis, and 30.868 + 9.963 in the group without carotid stenosis. The results showed no significant relationship between carotid artery stenosis and the SYNTAX score (P = 0.512) and no significant relationship between the SYNTAX score and surgical complications (P = 0.666). Conclusions: According to the results, there is no significant relationship between the SYNTAX score and various indices related to heart disease, carotid artery stenosis, and postoperative morbidity and mortality. Thus, this index cannot be used to check and follow patients. However, further studies are needed to reach a definitive conclusion.