OBJECTIVEThe purpose of this study was to explore the association of gender and age on in-hospital mortality after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) among the Chinese population.

METHODSA total of 2682 patients (male: 2316, female: 366) who underwent CABG surgery were retrospectively investigated between January 1st, 1997 and December 31st, 2001 for perioperative risk factors and in-hospital mortality rate after CABG.

RESULTSPreoperative comorbidity rate and postoperative complication rate were higher in women than that in men, although left ventricular ejection fraction was higher and the number of diseased vessels fewer in women than in men. The in-hospital mortality rate was three times higher in women than that in men (3.01% vs. 1.12%, P = 0.001), especially in the younger age group (2.6% vs. 0.5%, P = 0.001, risk-adjusted odds ratio 4.844, 95% CI: 1.549 - 15.142). In older patients, there was no notable difference in in-hospital mortality between the genders (3.7% for women vs. 2.4% for men, P = 0.383).

CONCLUSIONSChinese woman, especially in younger age, had a higher in-hospital mortality rate post CABG than that in men, suggesting that younger female gender is an independent risk factor for in-hospital mortality after CABG. Future studies are warranted to clarify the underlying mechanisms.