Trends in Intra-Aortic Balloon Counterpulsation: Comparison of a 669 Record Australian Dataset With the Multinational Benchmark Counterpulsation Outcomes Registry

Background: The aim of this study was to review and describe indications for intraaortic balloon counterpulsation (IABP) use and identify the impact these have on outcomes at an Australian cardiothoracic tertiary referral hospital. A secondary aim was comparison of the Australian practice with a large multinational IABP data registry.

Methods: Patient demographics, IABP indication, IABP complication rate and mortality in 662 patients treated with IABP at The Prince Charles Hospital (TPCH), Brisbane, between January 1994 and December 2004 inclusive were compared with The Benchmark Counterpulsation Outcomes Registry. Data were collected between 1994 and 2000 by retrospective patient record review and prospectively using the Benchmark database from 2001 to 2004. Statistical analysis was undertaken using SAS (v8.2) software.

Results: The mean age of patients managed with IABP at TPCH (71.6% male) was 63.4 years (SD 12.4). In-hospital mortality rate was 22% and the complication rate was 10.3%. TPCH indications for IABP were: weaning from cardiopulmonary bypass (34.2%); cardiogenic shock (24.4%); preoperative support (13%); catheter laboratory support (10.6%); refractory ventricular failure (7.3%); ischaemia related to intractable ventricular arrhythmias (4.5%); unstable refractory angina (4%); mechanical complications due to acute myocardial infarction (1.2%) and other (0.4%) (0.4% not reported). In comparison to Benchmark, IABP at TPCH demonstrated a prejudice toward intraoperative use (34.2% versus 16.6%; P < or = 0.0001) and an aversion to catheter laboratory support (10.6% versus 19%; P < or = 0.0001).

Conclusion: TPCH and Benchmark IABP outcomes demonstrated comparable mortality (22% versus 20.8%; P = ns) but increased TPCH complications (10.3% vs. 6.2%; P < or = 0.0001) owing to a 2% difference in observed insertion site bleeding.