Holter electrocardiographic findings in surgical patients during the perioperative period]

Eighty patients undergoing abdominal surgery were studied to evaluate ECG changes in perioperative period and also identify the factors influencing the incidence and the severity of postoperative ventricular arrhythmia. Holter ECG was recorded with CM5 and NASA leads from the night before operation to the night of the 2nd postoperative day. Tachycardia (greater than or equal to 100 beats.min-1) was found in 46.3% of the patients preoperatively and in 55% postoperatively. Bradycardia (less than or equal to 50 beats.min-1) was found in 30% of the patients mostly in the night prior to the operation, while only 1 patient (1.3%) demonstrated bradycardia postoperatively. SVPCs were observed in high incidence ranging from 75% preoperatively to 85% postoperatively. Two patients had paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia postoperatively. VPCs were observed in 42.5% of the patients preoperatively and in 53.8% postoperatively. Warning arrhythmias which were ranked as more dangerous than Lown 2 were observed in 15% of the patients preoperatively, in 11.3% intraoperatively and in 23.8% postoperatively. Serious arrhythmias which needed immediate treatment were found in 6.3% of the patients preoperatively, in 10% intraoperatively and in 11.3% postoperatively. ST depression was recorded in 11 patients at CM5 and 2 patients at NASA leads. Chi-square and Hayashi's multidimensional quantification analyses were applied to determine the relationship between postoperative VPCs and pre- and intra-operative clinical factors. Factors such as age, type of surgery, intraoperative VPCs, ASA classification, ischemic changes in preoperative ECG, intraoperative blood loss, operation time, Goldman score, untreated hypertension as well as ischemic heart disease and abnormal findings of Master ECG were considered to be contributing to the high incidence and the severity of post-operative VPCs. When multidimensional quantification analysis is applied to the data, the occurrences of no VPCs, occasional VPCs, warning VPCs and serious VPCs could be predicted in postoperative patients.