The occurrence of postoperative atrial fibrillation according to different surgical settings in cardiac surgery patients

• Published in: Interactive cardiovascular and thoracic surgery 2012-12, Vol.15 (6), p.1007-1012
• Main Authors: Jakubová, Marta, Mitro, Peter, Stan ák, Branislav, Sabol, František, Kolesár, Adrián, Cisarik, Paul, Nagy, Vincent
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Analysis of Variance; Atrial Fibrillation - blood; Atrial Fibrillation - diagnosis; Atrial Fibrillation - epidemiology; Atrial Fibrillation - immunology; Biomarkers - blood; C-Reactive Protein - metabolism; Coronary Artery Bypass - adverse effects; Coronary Artery Bypass, Off-Pump - adverse effects; Coronary Disease - epidemiology; Coronary Disease - surgery; Creatine Kinase, MB Form - blood; Electrocardiography, Ambulatory; Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation - adverse effects; Female; Humans; Incidence; Inflammation Mediators - blood; Leukocyte Count; Male; Middle Aged; Original; Postoperative Period; Potassium - blood; Risk Factors; Slovakia - epidemiology; Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome - blood; Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome - epidemiology; Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome - immunology; Time Factors; Treatment Outcome; Troponin - blood
• ISSN: 1569-9293; 1569-9285
• DOI: 10.1093/icvts/ivs361

OBJECTIVES Atrial fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia after cardiac surgery. The pathogenesis of postoperative atrial fibrillation is multifactorial. The aim of the study was to analyse preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative factors and their relationships with the occurrence and duration of atrial fibrillation. METHODS One hundred and ninety-six patients with coronary heart disease (152 men, age 62.7 ± 10.1 years) underwent surgical revascularization. Extracorporeal circulation was used in 64 patients and minimal extracorporeal circulation was used in 75 patients. Fifty-seven patients underwent surgery without extracorporeal circulation. During the first three postoperative days, subjects were monitored for the duration and incidence of atrial fibrillation, laboratory markers of inflammation (C-reactive protein, leucocytes) and serum potassium. RESULTS Demographic data and associated cardiovascular diseases in the groups were not statistically different. The overall incidence of atrial fibrillation was 56% (110 patients). The highest incidence of atrial fibrillation was found in the extracorporeal circulation subgroup, with a significantly lower incidence using minimal extracorporeal circulation, and in patients operated on without extracorporeal circulation (75 vs 47 vs 46%, P