title: Supraventricular tachyarrythmia prophylaxis after coronary artery surgery in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients (early amiodarone prophylaxis trial).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Supraventricular tachyarrhythmias (SVT) is common after coronary artery bypass grafting in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Preoperative FEV(1) is the major predetermining factor of mortality, morbidity and SVT.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were divided into two groups according to their preoperative FEV(1) values. FEV(1) is <75% of predicted value in group 1 (no. 200), and >/=75% of predicted value in group 2 (no. 100). Group 1 is divided into two subgroups. SVT prophylaxis was not done in A subgroup (no. 100) whereas arrhythmia prophylaxis was done with amiodarone in all B subgroups (no. 100) in the early postoperative period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Atrial fibrillation developed in 28 patients in group 1A, whereas it developed in 12 in group 1B (P=0.005). Atrial flutter developed in 10 patients in group 1A but in 3 patients in group 1B (P=0.045). Multifocal atrial tachycardia developed in 13 patients in group 1A and in 4 in group 1B (P=0.022). Multivariate analysis identified ejection fraction (P<0.002, odds ratio (OR) 0.93), inotropy requirement (P<0.001, OR 3.98) amiodarone (P<0.001, OR 0.18), and FEV(1)<75% of predicted value (P<0.048, OR 1.84) as predictor of SVT. There were statistically significant differences between A and B subgroups of group 1 for hospital (P<0.001) and intensive care unit (ICU) stay (P<0.001). There was also statistically significant difference between groups 1A and 2 comparison for ICU (P<0.001; 6.4+/-3.4 versus 1.4+/-0.6 days) and hospital stay (P<0.001; 17.6+/-8.2 versus 6.9+/-0.6 days).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early prophylactic amiodarone not only significantly reduces SVT but also reduces SVT-related hospital and ICU stay. We strongly recommend prophylactic early use of amiodarone in COPD patients.
authors.affiliation: GATA Cardiovascular Surgery Department, Gülhane Military Medical Academy, Yazanlar sokak No. 31/11, Asagi Ayranci, 06540, Ankara, Turkey. ekural@gata.edu.tr
authors.forename: Erkan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kuralay
authors.forename: Faruk
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cingöz
authors.forename: Selim
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kiliç
authors.forename: Cengiz
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bolcal
authors.forename: Celalettin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Günay
authors.forename: Ufuk
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Demirkiliç
authors.forename: Harun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tatar
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000638:Amiodarone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D011446:Prospective Studies; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D013617:Tachycardia, Supraventricular / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D000638:Amiodarone