The Effect of Preoperative β-Blocker Use and Race on Long-Term Survival After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

ObjectiveTo date, racial differences in the long-term survival of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) patients who receive preoperative β-blockers have not been specifically examined. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of preoperative β-blockers on long-term survival among black CABG patients and to compare the magnitude of this effect with white patients.DesignA retrospective cohort study.SettingA tertiary referral heart hospital.Participants13,354 patients undergoing CABG between 1992 and 2011.Measurements and Main ResultsHazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were computed using a Cox regression model. A total of 1,448 (62%) black and 6,094 (55%) white patients had a history of preoperative β-blocker use. Among black patients, those receiving β-blockers survived longer than those not receiving β-blockers (adjusted HR = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.67-0.88). The survival advantage was comparable to that observed among white patients (adjusted HR = 0.88, 95% CI = 0.82-0.93).ConclusionBlack CABG patients benefited from preoperative β-blockers and the magnitude of the effect was comparable to that among white patients.