Use of statins was significantly associated with a decreased risk of incidence or recurrence of AF in patients in sinus rhythm with a history of previous AF or undergoing cardiac surgery or after acute coronary syndrome
OBJECTIVES To improve the evaluation of the possible antiarrhythmic effect of statins , we performed a meta- analysis of r and omized trials with statins on the end point of incidence or recurrence of atrial fibrillation ( AF ) .
BACKGROUND The use of statins had been suggested to protect against AF in some clinical observational and experimental studies but has remained inadequately explored .
A multicenter risk index for atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery.
CONTEXT Atrial fibrillation is a common , but potentially preventable , complication following coronary artery bypass graft ( CABG ) surgery . OBJECTIVES To assess the nature and consequences of atrial fibrillation after CABG surgery and to develop a comprehensive risk index that can better identify patients at risk for atrial fibrillation . DESIGN , SETTING , AND PARTICIPANTS Prospect i ve observational study of 4657 patients undergoing CABG surgery between November 1996 and June 2000 at 70 centers located within 17 countries , selected using a systematic sampling technique . From a derivation cohort of 3093 patients , associations between predictor variables and postoperative atrial fibrillation were identified to develop a risk model , which was assessed in a validation cohort of 1564 patients . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE New-onset atrial fibrillation after CABG surgery . RESULTS A total of 1503 patients ( 32.3 % ) developed atrial fibrillation after CABG surgery . Postoperative atrial fibrillation was associated with subsequent greater re source use as well as with cognitive changes , renal dysfunction , and infection . Among patients in the derivation cohort , risk factors associated with atrial fibrillation were advanced age ( odds ratio [ OR ] for 10-year increase , 1.75 ; 95 % confidence interval [ CI ] , 1.59 - 1.93 ) ; history of atrial fibrillation ( OR , 2.11 ; 95 % CI , 1.57 - 2.85 ) or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( OR , 1.43 ; 95 % CI , 1.09 - 1.87 ) ; valve surgery ( OR , 1.74 ; 95 % CI , 1.31 - 2.32 ) ; and postoperative withdrawal of a beta-blocker ( OR , 1.91 ; 95 % CI , 1.52 - 2.40 ) or an angiotensin-converting enzyme ( ACE ) inhibitor ( OR 1.69 ; 95 % CI , 1.38 - 2.08 ) . Conversely , reduced risk was associated with postoperative administration of beta-blockers ( OR , 0.32 ; 95 % CI , 0.22 - 0.46 ) , ACE inhibitors ( OR , 0.62 ; 95 % CI , 0.48 - 0.79 ) , potassium supplementation ( OR , 0.53 ; 95 % CI , 0.42 - 0.68 ) , and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs ( OR , 0.49 ; 95 % CI , 0.40 - 0.60 ) . The result ing multivariable risk index had adequate discriminative power with an area under the receiver operating characteristic ( ROC ) curve of 0.77 in the validation sample . Forty-three percent ( 640/1503 ) of patients who had atrial fibrillation after CABG surgery experienced more than 1 episode of atrial fibrillation . Predictors of recurrent atrial fibrillation included older age , history of congestive heart failure , left ventricular hypertrophy , aortic atherosclerosis , bicaval venous cannulation , withdrawal of ACE inhibitor or beta-blocker therapy , and use of amiodarone or digoxin ( area under the ROC curve of 0.66 ) . Patients with recurrent atrial fibrillation had longer hospital stays and experienced greater infectious , renal , and neurological complications than those with a single episode . CONCLUSIONS We have developed and vali date d models predicting the occurrence of atrial fibrillation  after CABG surgery based on an analysis of a large multicenter international cohort . Our findings suggest that treatment with beta-blockers , ACE inhibitors , and /or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may offer protection . Atrial fibrillation after CABG surgery is associated with important complications
Use of statins was significantly associated with a decreased risk of incidence or recurrence of AF in patients in sinus rhythm with a history of previous AF or undergoing cardiac surgery or after acute coronary syndrome
OBJECTIVES To improve the evaluation of the possible antiarrhythmic effect of statins , we performed a meta- analysis of r and omized trials with statins on the end point of incidence or recurrence of atrial fibrillation ( AF ) .
BACKGROUND The use of statins had been suggested to protect against AF in some clinical observational and experimental studies but has remained inadequately explored .