Predictors of Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation After Abdominal Surgery and Insights from Other Surgery Types

Christoffer Valdorff Madsen,1,2 Lars Nannestad Jørgensen,3 Bonna Leerhøy,3 Ismail Gögenur,4 Sarah Ekeloef,4 Ahmad Sajadieh,1 Helena Domínguez1,2 1Department of Cardiology, Bispebjerg-Frederiksberg Hospital, Frederiksberg, Denmark; 2Department of Biomedical Science, Copenhagen University, Copenhagen, Denmark; 3Digestive Disease Center, Bispebjerg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark; 4Department of Surgery, Zealand University Hospital, Køge, DenmarkCorrespondence: Helena DomínguezDepartment of Cardiology, Bispebjerg-Frederiksberg Hospital, Nordre Fasanvej 57, Frederiksberg 2000, DenmarkTel +45 38166068Fax +45 22989343Email mdom0002@regionh.dkAbstract: Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) in relation to abdominal surgery can cause clinical deterioration, prolonged hospitalization, admittance to intensive care units, stroke and increased mortality. The current review focus on patients developing POAF in relation to abdominal surgery and aims to present the current knowledge on predictors of this condition. Furthermore, predictors identified in other surgical populations that may be transferable and guide future research within the field of abdominal surgery will be presented. A systematic literature search of patients undergoing abdominal surgery and developing POAF was performed on PubMed and Embase. All types of study interventions, comparators and designs were included. All studies included reported POAF as primary or secondary outcome. All peer-reviewed English full-text manuscripts regardless of publication date were included. We included five studies out of the 149 unique records identified. Age, congestive heart failure, hypertension, vascular disease and surgical approach are risk factors associated with the development of POAF. Furthermore, inflammation biomarkers, dobutamine stress echocardiography and cardiac single-photon emission computed tomography can predict POAF. Insights from other surgical