<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW172823038 BCX8"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW172823038 BCX8" lang="EN-US" paraid="1238597290" paraeid="{476e0b17-48fb-464b-8c88-cad998a233ee}{140}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">Individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) are not at higher risk for in-hospital death nor complications after undergoing cardiac surgery, a new<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">U.S. national cohort<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">study shows.</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW172823038 BCX8" data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW172823038 BCX8"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW172823038 BCX8" lang="EN-US" paraid="387316006" paraeid="{98533456-478c-48a9-a3f1-293033b4a210}{129}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">However, patients with MS have lower rates of routine home discharges<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">after surgery<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">compared with non-MS patients</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">.</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW172823038 BCX8" data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW172823038 BCX8"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW172823038 BCX8" lang="EN-US" paraid="1472591089" paraeid="{7cb77bc1-f67d-4fa1-a16f-92f5708321c7}{41}"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">These data were reported in a manuscript published online Wednesday in<span> </span></span><em><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">JAMA Surgery</span></em><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8"><span> </span>by Jose L. Diz Ferre, MD, of the Cleveland Clinic</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">,</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8"> Ohio, and colleagues.</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW172823038 BCX8" data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW172823038 BCX8"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW172823038 BCX8" lang="EN-US" paraid="744437355" paraeid="{9b003784-80da-417d-be21-421cc71974cf}{86}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">Having MS puts patients at increased risk for cardiovascular diseases, such as heart failure (HF) and heart attack. Dysregulation</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">, such as inflammation,<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">due to MS may be harmful during and after surgery</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">. D</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">ata a</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">re limited on outcomes in MS patients after heart surgery</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8"><span> </span>despite the increased risk for adverse cardiac conditions.</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW172823038 BCX8" data-ccp-props="{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"201341983":0,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559737":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":279}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW172823038 BCX8"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW172823038 BCX8" lang="EN-US" paraid="1567612880" paraeid="{642e88ca-9584-4075-bf70-8716cc724cac}{52}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">Investigators in this</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8"><span> </span>cross-sectional</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8"><span> </span>trial examined clinical outcomes and mortality rates after cardiovascular surgery in patients with and without MS.<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">Patients were included in the trial if they underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or valve, aortic or combined<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">cardiac</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8"><span> </span>surgery.</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW172823038 BCX8" data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW172823038 BCX8"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW172823038 BCX8" lang="EN-US" paraid="1632843539" paraeid="{ad8dc51a-2438-4c17-8ff1-2bd6bbc516fc}{178}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">Data were </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">collected</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8"> from the National Inpatient Sample database between 2016 and 2022</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">. A<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2Themed SCXW172823038 BCX8">balancing-s</span><span class="NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2Themed SCXW172823038 BCX8">core</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8"><span> </span>matched cohort was used to<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">determine</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8"><span> </span>the relationship between MS and surgical outcomes at admission, the investigators noted. Analysis took place between November 1<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">and November 26, 2025.</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW172823038 BCX8" data-ccp-props="{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"201341983":0,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559737":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":279}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW172823038 BCX8"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW172823038 BCX8" lang="EN-US" paraid="1453214083" paraeid="{18255b8f-8e3f-47e7-b901-addb7c164cac}{169}"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">The primary outcome in this study was in-hospital death, complications, length of hospital stay, financial costs and condition at discharge from the hospital.</span><span class="EOP SCXW172823038 BCX8" data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW172823038 BCX8"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW172823038 BCX8" lang="EN-US" paraid="739734280" paraeid="{ae34878b-3f69-498d-a08e-9ad6d5f54aeb}{21}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">A total of 1,766,170 patient records were analyzed in this study (n=3,605 with MS</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">; n=1,762,565 without M</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">S</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">). Patients with MS were younger, with a median age of 63 years, compared with non-MS patients (median age=67 years).<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">A<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">significant number</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8"><span> </span>of patients with MS were female compared with non-MS patients (56% of MS patients vs 28% of non-MS patients; p<0.001).</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW172823038 BCX8" data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW172823038 BCX8"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW172823038 BCX8" lang="EN-US" paraid="1492523504" paraeid="{99ed360a-e092-4e83-8d5d-e48a3a0fceb0}{224}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">Additionally, patients with MS had higher rates of comorbidities. Some of these included lung diseases, hypothyroidism, paralysis, psychological<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2Themed SCXW172823038 BCX8">disorders</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8"><span> </span>and valvular diseases.</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW172823038 BCX8" data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW172823038 BCX8"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW172823038 BCX8" lang="EN-US" paraid="1220491429" paraeid="{b37c3f97-1bd3-4335-944d-5b1ca4b09a86}{245}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">When matched with a cohort of 3,530 patients, individuals with MS did not have higher rates of death after cardiovascular surgery (</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">2.0% vs 3.7%;<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">p=0.05). </span></span><span class="EOP SCXW172823038 BCX8" data-ccp-props="{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"201341983":0,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559737":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":279}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW172823038 BCX8"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW172823038 BCX8" lang="EN-US" paraid="1446042320" paraeid="{9186d857-f04d-427e-8370-48038347ae60}{139}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">A composite of various complications</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8"> endpoint was also similar between patients with and without MS (</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">50% vs 51%; p=0.67).</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8"><span> </span>Complications<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">included</span><span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">stroke, acute kidney failure, pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis, gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding, non-GI bleeding, prolonged mechanical ventilation, tracheostomy, pneumonia, surgical site infection, sepsis, blood transfusion, pericardial effusion, fluid overload and pacemaker requirement, the authors highlighted.</span><span class="EOP SCXW172823038 BCX8" data-ccp-props="{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"201341983":0,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559737":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":279}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW172823038 BCX8"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW172823038 BCX8" lang="EN-US" paraid="2089844593" paraeid="{99536e8b-b61c-4287-8113-32f1abb46128}{37}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">Hospitalization costs were similar between the two groups. Patients with MS had a median hospitalization cost of $41,285, and patients without MS had a median hospitalization cost of $40,328 (p=0.44).<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">The m</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">edian length of stay was 8 days in both<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">cohorts</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">.</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW172823038 BCX8" data-ccp-props="{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"201341983":0,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559737":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":279}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW172823038 BCX8"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW172823038 BCX8" lang="EN-US" paraid="1361957543" paraeid="{b9b296a2-e17b-41d5-b665-64e44a20a8b4}{91}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">A notable between-groups difference was </span><span class="NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2Themed SCXW172823038 BCX8">discharge</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8"><span> </span>disposition. Patients with MS had lower routine home discharges (28%) versus non-MS patients (</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">36%) (p<0.001).</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW172823038 BCX8" data-ccp-props="{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"201341983":0,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559737":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":279}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW172823038 BCX8"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW172823038 BCX8" lang="EN-US" paraid="1945946239" paraeid="{79348cf9-a1e6-45e4-aef3-58f84812a681}{95}"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">Researchers concluded that patients with MS are not at greater risk for death nor complications after cardiac surgery, but discharge disposition differences may be associated with the pathophysiology of MS.</span><span class="EOP SCXW172823038 BCX8" data-ccp-props="{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"201341983":0,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559737":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":279}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW172823038 BCX8"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW172823038 BCX8" lang="EN-US" paraid="14588427" paraeid="{548beac1-d3e1-4770-b630-4347c5d931d1}{187}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">In an<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">invited commentary</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">, Faith</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8"><span> </span>Turner, PA-C, and B. Zane Atkins, MD, MBA, of the Kearney Regional Medical Center, Kearney, Nebraska,<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">highlight</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8"><span> </span>the impo</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">rtance of investigating surgical outcomes and potential differences in MS versus non-MS patients.</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8"><span> </span>They also emphasized the significance of the discharge findings from Diz Ferre et al.</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW172823038 BCX8" data-ccp-props="{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"201341983":0,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559737":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":279}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW172823038 BCX8"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW172823038 BCX8" lang="EN-US" paraid="1770330077" paraeid="{f1ff2efe-3278-4669-806f-dc5454659cbd}{80}"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">“Perhaps the most consequential finding was higher rates of nonhome discharge (NHD) among patients with MS,” the editorialists wrote.</span><span class="EOP SCXW172823038 BCX8" data-ccp-props="{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"201341983":0,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559737":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":279}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW172823038 BCX8"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW172823038 BCX8" lang="EN-US" paraid="1622807246" paraeid="{3ce72e2c-7e6a-4291-9d3c-8a513c3fdc01}{165}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">“A growing body of evidence consistently suggests that NHD is a significant risk factor for short-term and long-term mortality, unplanned<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">readmission</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8"><span> </span>and various other complications across surgical disciplines. These data elicit serious considerations, including prediction and/or mitigation of this harbinger of adverse outcomes.”</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW172823038 BCX8" data-ccp-props="{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"201341983":0,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559737":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":279}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW172823038 BCX8"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW172823038 BCX8" lang="EN-US" paraid="1291540755" paraeid="{1e8014f4-e628-4048-b423-a9fca6be61f1}{40}"><strong><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">Sources:</span><span class="EOP SCXW172823038 BCX8" data-ccp-props="{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"201341983":0,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559737":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":279}"> </span></strong></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW172823038 BCX8"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW172823038 BCX8" lang="EN-US" paraid="1549500534" paraeid="{38ae9529-1639-453a-956a-5d67d6df6e04}{16}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">Diz Ferre JL, Zhou G,<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW172823038 BCX8">Cabulong</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8"><span> </span>A, et al. Outcomes of cardiovascular surgery in patients with multiple sclerosis.<span> </span></span></span><em><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">JAMA Surg</span></em><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">. 2026 June 10 (Article in Press).</span><span class="EOP SCXW172823038 BCX8" data-ccp-props="{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"201341983":0,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559737":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":279}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW172823038 BCX8"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW172823038 BCX8" lang="EN-US" paraid="1111972367" paraeid="{f0a8abaa-a600-41dd-b975-347c869ee336}{105}"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">Turner F, Atkins BZ. Cardiovascular surgical patients with multiple sclerosis and swing beds.</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8"><span> </span><em>JAMA Surg</em></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">. 2026 June 10 (Article in Press).</span><span class="EOP SCXW172823038 BCX8" data-ccp-props="{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"201341983":0,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559737":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":279}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW172823038 BCX8"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW172823038 BCX8" lang="EN-US" paraid="861279786" paraeid="{34c3a19a-90cd-40fd-a35c-6df2db4da4df}{112}"><strong><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">Image Credit: </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8">Georgii</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW172823038 BCX8"> – stock.adobe.com</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW172823038 BCX8" data-ccp-props="{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"201341983":0,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559737":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":279}"> </span></strong></p> </div>