title: Effect of bronchodilator treatment on the incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We sought to examine the effects of bronchodilator treatment on the incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) after cardiac surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional design using a retrospective chart review was performed in patients who underwent cardiac surgery. Those who had previous atrial fibrillation or preoperative bronchodilator treatment were excluded from the final sample (n = 506). The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS, Inc., Chicago, IL) was used for statistical analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence of POAF in this study was 27.9%, and was associated with age (P < .01) and type of cardiac surgery (P < .05), indicating that increasing age, and combined cardiac surgery were more likely to precipitate POAF. Bronchodilator treatment did not increase POAF. However, combined therapy significantly (P < .01) precipitated more POAF (48.7%) than did albuterol (21.4%) or levalbuterol (18.5%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Postoperative atrial fibrillation continues to be a common complication after cardiac surgery. Bronchodilator treatment with either albuterol or levalbuterol did not precipitate POAF, unless both agents were given to the same patients postoperatively.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Missouri Baptist Medical Center and St. Louis University School of Nursing, St. Louis, Missouri, USA. cunninma@slu.edu
authors.forename: Mary Ann
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Cunningham
authors.forename: Joanne L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Thanavaro
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lorenz
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Delicath
authors.forename: Chakra B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Budhathoki
mesh_terms: D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008923:Missouri / Q000453:epidemiology; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D001993:Bronchodilator Agents