Time to surgery after COVID-19 linked to postop CV complications

Editor's Note

This study from Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, finds that increased time from COVID-19 diagnosis to having a surgical procedure was linked to decreased odds of experiencing major postoperative cardiovascular (CV) complications.

A total of 3,997 adult patients who had a previous diagnosis of COVID-19 and underwent a surgical procedure between January 1, 2020, and December 6, 2021, were analyzed. The median time from COVID-19 diagnosis to surgery was 98 days.

Major postoperative adverse CV events occurred in 485 (12.1%) patients. Increased time from COVID-19 diagnosis to surgery was associated with a decreased rate of the composite outcome, defined as deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, cerebrovascular accident, myocardial injury, acute kidney injury, and death within 30 days after surgery (adjusted odds ratio, 0.99).

This trend continued for 1,552 patients who received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine (adjusted odds ratio, 0.98).

The findings show a time-dependent association between COVID-19 infection and outcomes after surgery, estimating a 1% reduction in the risk of the composite outcome for every 10 days after diagnosis, the researchers say.