Atrial fibrillation post CABG and the risk of arrhythmia recurrence: the AFRODITE study.

Background: New-onset postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) after coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) occurs with an incidence of 20-40%. The clinical relevance of POAF remains a concern, and the need for further studies regarding the clinical management of POAF is necessary.

Aim: The AFRODITE study, a prospective multicenter cohort study, had as its primary endpoint the evaluation of AF recurrence in patients post CABG over a one-year period.

Methods: Two hundred twenty-eight patients aged >50 years who underwent isolated CABG were included in the study. Patients were stratified into two groups, POAF and non-POAF, and followed for 12 months for AF recurrence, hospitalizations, and death.

Results: Two hundred twenty-eight patients (mean age 67 years, 88.6% male) were included in the study. 28.5% of patients experienced at least one episode of POAF during index hospitalization (POAF group) and were compared with the non-POAF group (n = 163). Multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis showed that the strongest prognostic parameter for POAF was the CHADSVASc score (odds ratio = 1.61, p < 0.001). POAF patients had a worse in-hospital outcome, but the incidence of long-term AF recurrence was not statistically different (3.6% vs. 4.8%, p = 0.9).

Conclusion: Interestingly, a one-year prospective follow-up of patients in the study did not reveal significant differences between POAF and non-POAF patients. A notable finding was that patients with a higher CHADSVASc score were more likely to develop POAF.