Incidence of stroke and acute renal failure in patients of postoperative atrial fibrillation after myocardial revascularization

INTRODUCTION: Postoperative atrial fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia in cardiac surgery, its incidence range between 20% and 40%. OBJECTIVE: Quantify the occurrence of stroke and acute renal insufficiency after myocardial revascularization surgery in patients who had atrial fibrillation postoperatively. METHODS: Cohort longitudinal bidirectional study, performed at Portuguese Beneficent Hospital (SP), with medical chart survey of patients undergoing myocardial revascularization surgery between June 2009 to July 2010. From a total of 3010 patients were weaned 382 patients that presented atrial fibrillation preoperatively and/or associated surgeries. The study was conducted in accordance with national and international following resolutions: ICH Harmonized Tripartite Guidelines for Good Clinical Practice - 1996; CNS196/96 Resolution, and Declaration of Helsinki. RESULTS: The 2628 patients included in this study were divided into two groups: Group I, who didn't show postoperative atrial fibrillation, with 2302 (87.6%) patients; and group II, with 326 (12.4%) who developed postoperative atrial fibrillation. The incidence of stroke in patients was 1.1% without postoperative atrial fibrillation vs. 4% with postoperative atrial fibrillation (P<0.001). Postoperative acute renal failure was observed in 12% of patients with postoperative atrial fibrillation and 2.4% in the group without postoperative atrial fibrillation (P<0.001), that is a relation 5 times greater. CONCLUSION: In this study there was a high incidence of stroke and acute renal failure in patients with postoperative atrial fibrillation, with rates higher than those reported in the literature.