ESC Congress 2026 Abstract · Oct 26, 2026

Cardiovascular outcomes of postoperative cardiac rehabilitation in CABG patients receiving critical care services: a TriNetX global federated network study

By Ahmadzadeh K, Askarinejad A, Essa H et al.

Background and objectives: Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) remains a major revascularisation strategy for patients with advanced coronary artery disease, and postoperative care is central to longer-term outcomes. We investigated the association between postoperative cardiac rehabilitation (CR) and clinical outcomes among CABG patients who received critical care services. Methods: Using the TriNetX research network, we identified patients who underwent elective CABG and received critical care services, and compared those who subsequently participated in CR within 2 months with those without documented CR. The primary outcome was 2-year composite events (death, myocardial infarction, and cerebral infarction). Secondary outcomes were heart failure (HF), incident atrial fibrillation, and dementia. A 1-month landmark period was applied in the analyses to reduce the influence of early events. Results: Before propensity score matching (PSM), CABG patients who underwent CR (N=3,569, age: 64.7 ± 9.5, 82.6% male), were younger, more often male and had a higher prevalence of comorbidities, including hypertension, ischaemic heart disease, and heart failure, when compared with those who did not (N=26,493, age: 66.0 ± 10.0, 76.4% male). After PSM (matched N=2,244), CR was associated with significantly lower 2-year risk of composite events (HR: 0.74, 95% CI: 0.65-0.84) and HF (HR: 0.49, 95% CI: 0.38-0.63). Subgroup analyses for 2-year composite events, stratified by age, sex and BMI, were consistent with the primary findings. Conclusion: In CABG patients receiving critical care services, CR within 2 months was associated with significantly lower 2-year risk of composite events and HF. These results suggest that the benefits of CR may extend to CABG patients receiving critical care services.Main resultsSubgroups

doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehag785.3659 Open access Interventions