Preoperative total lymphocyte count in peripheral blood as a predictor of poor outcome in adult cardiac surgery

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic value of the preoperative total lymphocyte count in peripheral blood as a predictor of postoperative complications and mortality in cardiac surgery. Design: A retrospective, observational study. Setting: The Novosibirsk State Research Institute of Circulation Pathology (single institution). Participants: All adults undergoing primary cardiopulmonary bypass in 2009. Interventions: None. Measurements and Main Results: The cohort size was 1,368 patients operated upon with cardiopulmonary bypass. Patient characteristics, hospital mortality, postoperative complications, ventilation time, intensive care unit, and hospital stay were analyzed. A preoperative total lymphocyte count <1,500 cells/μL was associated with significantly higher mortality by univariate (p < 0.0001) and multivariate (p < 0.044) analyses. A low preoperative total lymphocyte count was associated with more frequent inotropic support (p < 0.001); postoperative heart arrhythmia (p < 0.001); dialysis-dependent acute renal failure (p < 0.001); and a prolonged ventilation time (p = 0.001), intensive care unit stay (p < 0.001), and hospital stay (p = 0.007). Conclusions: A low preoperative total lymphocyte count in peripheral blood is a useful prognostic criterion for the evaluation of a complicated postoperative period in cardiac patients operated under cardiopulmonary bypass.