title: Preservation of the right atrial appendage improves reduced plasma atrial natriuretic peptide levels after the maze procedure.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study was conducted to determine whether preservation of the right atrial appendage lessens the decrease of plasma atrial natriuretic peptide levels after the maze procedure and whether the increase of plasma atrial natriuretic peptides improves the ability of the kidneys to excrete the fluid load after the operation.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated 42 patients who underwent the maze procedure. The right atrial appendage was preserved in 22 patients but not in 20. Blood samples were obtained before and after the operation for measurement of atrial natriuretic peptides. To evaluate the influence of atrial natriuretic peptides on the ability of the kidneys, we also measured body weight, fluid balance, and the doses of furosemide and dopamine administered after the operation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The restoration to sinus rhythm at 1 month after was comparable in the two groups. Plasma atrial natriuretic peptide levels significantly increased after the operation in patients in whom the right atrial appendage was preserved (1 day after: 23.4 +/- 17.8 vs 3 days after: 42.7 +/- 23.6 and 7 days after: 36.3 +/- 23.7 pg/mL, P <.05) but not in patients in whom the right atrial appendage was not preserved (1 day after: 20.0 +/- 19.6, 3 days after: 28.5 +/- 19.3, and 7 days after: 23.0 +/- 16.1 pg/mL). Furthermore, plasma atrial natriuretic peptide levels were significantly lower in patients in whom the right atrial appendage was not preserved than in patients in whom the right atrial appendage was preserved at 3 and 7 days after the operation. The fluid balance during the first 7 days of the postoperative period was comparable in the two groups, although the total dose of dopamine used in the same period was significantly smaller in patients in whom the right atrial appendage was preserved than in patients in whom the right atrial appendage was not preserved (155.3 +/- 119.0 vs 244.9 +/- 129.0 microg/kg, P <.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study showed that preservation of the right atrial appendage lessens the decrease of plasma atrial natriuretic peptide levels after the maze procedure and that increased plasma atrial natriuretic peptides may improve the ability of the kidneys to excrete the fluid load after the operation.
authors.affiliation: National Cardiovascular Center Research Institute, Okayama University Medical School, Okayama, Japan.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yoshihara
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nishikimi
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sasako
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kosakai
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hattori
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Horio
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kitamura
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsuo
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohe
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kangawa
mesh_terms: D020517:Atrial Appendage / Q000601:surgery*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000601:surgery*; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D001835:Body Weight; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004232:Diuretics / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004298:Dopamine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005665:Furosemide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014556:Urine; D014882:Water-Electrolyte Balance
chemical_list: D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D004232:Diuretics; D005665:Furosemide; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor; D004298:Dopamine