Clinical efficiency of intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation for heart valve replacement patients in perioperative period: a comparative study of propensity score matching

Objective To evaluate the clinical efficiency of intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) in the perioperative period for the patients undergoing heart valve replacement by propensity score matching (PSM). Methods During January 2014 to December 2016, 43 patients treated with IABP in perioperative period in our institute were recruited and assigned into observation group. They were 21 males and 22 females, and at an average age of 52.5±9.8 (33~73) years. Another 43 patients (20 males and 23 females, aged 31~72 years, averagely 52.3±11.7 years) who underwent valve replacement but not IABP were selected from 1 487 cases of heart valve replacement patients in 2013 by PSM to balance intraoperative baseline data. The perioperative mortality, duration of assisted ventilation, length of ICU stay and incidences of postoperative complications were analyzed and compared between the 2 groups. Results There were no statistical differences in perioperative mortality [16.3% (7/43) vs 11.6% (5/43), P=0.137] and cases needing dialysis [7% (3/43) vs 14% (6/43), P=0.062] between the 2 groups. The observation group had statistically shorter time of endotracheal intubation (66.02±31.2 vs 79.27±17.1 h, P < 0.05) and lower incidence of low cardiac output syndrome (4.7% vs 37.2%, P < 0.05) than the other group. Conclusion IABP decreases the incidence rates of postoperative complications, but has no effect on the mortality in the patients undergoing heart valve replacement