Meta-analysis of BITA versus SITA grafting in diabetic patients: evidence from propensity score-matched studies.

Background: It has been demonstrated that the use of bilateral internal thoracic artery (BITA) grafting in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) improves long-term survival in comparison to the use of a single internal thoracic artery (SITA) graft. However, the optimal transplantation technique for diabetic patients remains undetermined. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to compare the effectiveness and safety of BITA and SITA CABG in diabetic patients.

Methods: A comprehensive search of Google Scholar, Science Direct, and PubMed was conducted for studies with propensity score-matched comparing between BITA and SITA grafting in diabetic patients. The main goal was to know mid- to long-term mortality, and the supplementary results included incidence of deep sternal wound infection, 30-day mortality, and incidence of reoperation due to hemorrhage.

Results: The meta-analysis included 11 studies involving 3762 diabetic patients with matched propensity scores. Compared to SITA grafting, BITA grafting was associated with a significant reduction in long-term mortality (HR 0.78; 95% CI 0.67-0.91), P = 0.03, I² = 54%. There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of 30-day mortality, reoperation for bleeding, cerebrovascular accident, or renal failure.

Conclusions: BITA grafting appears to provide better overall survival than SITA grafting in patients with diabetes. However, using BITA grafting is associated with a greater risk of deep sternal wound infection. These findings may help guide the choice of grafting technique in diabetic patients undergoing CABG.