title: Atrial fibrillation after operation for lung cancer: clinical and prognostic significance.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Atrial fibrillation is a common complication of early postoperative period in lung cancer thoracotomy. Its clinical incidence and short- and long-term impact on overall mortality has never been definitely assessed; moreover, it is unclear whether the arrhythmia represents an independent cardiac risk factor.
  
  
  METHODS
  We prospectively studied 233 consecutive patients undergoing operation for lung cancer (170 with non-small-cell lung cancer). Postoperative atrial fibrillation incidence was related to different clinical factors possibly involved in its occurrence and to both short- and long-term survival.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Atrial fibrillation occurred in 28 patients (12%) (same percentage in non-small-cell lung cancer); a strong relationship was observed between arrhythmia and age, history of hypertension and associated lymph node resection. The mean hospitalization time was 14 +/- 4 days in patients developing atrial fibrillation and 13 +/- 4 days in those who did not (p = not significant). No difference was observed between the two groups with regard to short- or long-term mortality or to long-term atrial fibrillation recurrences, also when considering the entire population and only non-small-cell lung cancer, separately.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  At our institution, early atrial fibrillation occurrence after operation for lung cancer does not show any negative impact on short- and long-term mortality or on recurrence rate.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Unit and Thoracic Surgery Division, Istituto Europeo di Oncologia, University of Milan, Italy. dcardinale@ieo.cilea.it
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cardinale
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martinoni
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Cipolla
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Civelli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lamantia
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fiorentini
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mezzetti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011013:Pneumonectomy; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D013908:Thoracotomy