The prevalence and associated factors of intraoperative hypotension following thoracic surgery in resources limited area, 2023: multicentre approach.

Background: Hypotension is an independent predictor of long-term patient morbidity and duration of hospital stay. Multiple factors contribute to the development of intraoperative hypotension. Prevention and treatment of these factors may reduce patients' hypotension and its associated morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of intraoperative hypotension in patients undergoing elective thoracic surgery.

Methods: This institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 174 adult patients who underwent elective thoracic surgery. A systematic random sampling technique was used, and quantitative data were collected through interviews and data retrieval from charts via a pretested questionnaire. Both bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate the associations between independent and dependent variables. The level of statistical significance was defined as a P-value less than 0.05. The data were entered into Info 7.2.1 and analyzed via SPSS version 26 software, which was used to calculate descriptive statistics, and bivariate and multivariate logistic regression were performed.

Results: In general, information was collected from 174 patients during the study period. The results of the present study revealed that 65 (41%) patients developed intraoperative hypotension (95% CI: 36.43-48%). Intraoperative blood loss was significantly associated with intraoperative hypotension [AOR=9.58, 95% CI (2.57-35.8)] (P=0.001).

Conclusion and recommendation: The findings of this study revealed high rates of intraoperative hypotension episodes, which were 41%, in patients who underwent elective thoracic surgery. Age, ASA class, type of intraoperative blood loss, type of procedure pre-existence comorbidity, and duration of surgery were predictors of intraoperative hypotension in patients who underwent elective thoracic surgery. The anaesthetist's, surgeon, and PACU staff's understanding of these factors is very crucial for close follow-up of this group of patients.