Clinical study on postoperative inflammation and cardiac function improvement following valve replacement surgery.

Objective: To investigate the impact of C-reactive protein (CRP) levels measured on the third day after valve replacement surgery on cardiac function recovery at 3 months postoperatively and to analyze its association with other clinical risk factors, thereby providing reference data for perioperative management. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 188 patients who underwent valve replacement surgery. Based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, using a postoperative CRP level of 150 mg/L as the grouping standard. Patients were divided into a high-inflammation group (100 cases) and a low-inflammation group (88 cases) based on CRP levels on postoperative day 3. Baseline characteristics, preoperative BNP levels, LVEF, intraoperative parameters, postoperative inflammation levels, and complications were compared between the two groups. Postoperative LVEF, BNP levels at 1 week and 3 months, and total hospital stay were evaluated. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors influencing cardiac function improvement at 3 months in the high inflammation group. Data were analyzed using SPSS, with a P-value <0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: The high inflammation group showed a lower cardiac function improvement rate at 3 months (71% vs. 85.2%, P = 0.019) and a longer hospital stay (19 [17, 21] vs. 18 [16, 20], P = 0.013). LVEF at 1 week and 3 months postoperatively was lower (43.55 ± 4.45 vs. 46.31 ± 4.84, P < 0.001; 50.96 ± 11.25 vs. 54.82 ± 6.52, P = 0.004), while BNP levels were higher (751.63 ± 52.12 vs. 632.90 ± 305.10, P = 0.001; 289.56 ± 108.51 vs. 186.99 ± 84.20, P < 0.001). Univariate analysis showed that age, hypertension, diabetes, preoperative BNP levels, preoperative LVEF, and postoperative complications were associated with cardiac function improvement (P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis identified age (OR = 5.83, 95% CI 1.79-19.01, P = 0.003) and lower preoperative LVEF (OR = 5.96, 95% CI 1.47-24.12, P = 0.012) as independent risk factors for poor cardiac function recovery. Conclusion: Elevated CRP levels on the third day after valve replacement surgery significantly impact cardiac function recovery and prolong hospital stay. Moreover, advanced age and lower preoperative LVEF are independent risk factors for poor cardiac function recovery.