Incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation in patients undergoing on-pump and off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting

Objective

To determine the incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation in patientsundergoing on-pump and off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting.

Methods

A retrospective study with analysis of 230 medical records between January 2011and October 2013 was conducted.

Results

Fifty-six (24.3%) out of the 230 patients were female. The average age of patientsundergoing on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting was 59.91±8.62 yearsold, and off-pump was 57.16±9.01 years old (P=0.0213). Theaverage EuroSCORE for the on-pump group was 3.37%±3.08% and for theoff-pump group was 3.13%±3% (P=0.5468). Eighteen (13.43%)patients who underwent off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting developedpostoperative atrial fibrillation, whereas for the onpump group, 19 (19.79%)developed this arrhythmia, with no significant difference between the groups(P=0.1955).

Conclusion

Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting did not reduce the incidence of atrialfibrillation in the postoperative period. Important predictors of risk for thedevelopment of this arrhythmia were identified as: patients older than 70 yearsold and presence of atrial fibrillation in perioperative period in both groups,and non-use of beta-blockers drugs postoperatively in the on-pump group.