Conclusions Our meta- analysis indicates that vitamin C may prevent post-operative atrial fibrillation in some countries outside of the USA , and it may also shorten the duration of hospital stay and ICU stay of cardiac surgery patients .
Vitamin C is an essential nutrient that is safe and inexpensive .
Background Atrial fibrillation ( AF ) , a common arrhythmia contributing substantially to cardiac morbidity , is associated with oxidative stress and , being an antioxidant , vitamin C might influence it .
Perioperative supplementation with ascorbic acid does not prevent atrial fibrillation in coronary artery bypass graft patients.
BACKGROUND Atrial fibrillation occurs after approximately 25 % to 45 % of coronary artery bypass graft ( CABG ) surgeries . Oxidative stress and related electrophysiological remodeling has been proposed as a potential cause of this atrial fibrillation . Perioperative supplementation of the antioxidant ascorbic acid has been evaluated as a preventive agent . The current investigation was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of ascorbic acid in reducing atrial fibrillation  in CABG patients . METHODS A prospect i ve , r and omized , placebo-controlled , triple-blind , single-institution study was conducted in nonemergency CABG patients . Subjects were monitored for episodes of arrhythmia and other complications . RESULTS Eighty-nine treatment and 96 control subjects completed the study protocol . Demographics , comorbidities , and preoperative drugs were similar between groups . Surgical characteristics and postoperative medication use also were similar . The incidence of atrial fibrillation was 30.3 % in the treatment group and 30.2 % in the control group ( P = .985 ) . No difference was found in postoperative complications or mortality . CONCLUSIONS Our data indicate that supplementation of ascorbic acid in addition to routine postoperative care does not reduce atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass grafting
Conclusions Our meta- analysis indicates that vitamin C may prevent post-operative atrial fibrillation in some countries outside of the USA , and it may also shorten the duration of hospital stay and ICU stay of cardiac surgery patients .
Vitamin C is an essential nutrient that is safe and inexpensive .
Background Atrial fibrillation ( AF ) , a common arrhythmia contributing substantially to cardiac morbidity , is associated with oxidative stress and , being an antioxidant , vitamin C might influence it .