title: Levosimendan use decreases atrial fibrillation in patients after coronary artery bypass grafting: a pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Atrial fibrillation (AF) often occurs after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and can result in increased morbidity and mortality due to complications. In the present study, our goal was to investigate whether the use of levosimendan can reduce the frequency of AF after coronary artery bypass grafting in patients with poor left ventricle function.
  
  
  METHODS
  To investigate the effectiveness of levosimendan in the prophylaxis of AF, we conducted a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical study on 200 consecutive patients in whom we performed elective CABG operations. Baseline characteristics were similar in both groups. A control group of 100 patients were treated with placebo (500 mL saline solution), whereas the levosimendan group (n = 100 patients) was treated with levosimendan. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein, cardiac troponin, and creatine kinase–MB levels were measured before surgery and 5 days postoperatively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  AF occurred in 12% of the levosimendan group and 36% of the control group. The occurrence of AF was significantly lower in the levosimendan group (P < 0.05). The duration of AF in the levosimendan group was significantly shorter than that in the control group (4.83 ± 1.12 and 6.50 ± 1.55 hours, respectively; P = 0.028). Our research showed that C-reactive protein was higher postoperatively in the control group than in the levosimendan group (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The incidence of postoperative AF in the levosimendan group was reduced significantly in patients with poor left ventricle function after CABG operations.
authors.forename: Ahmet Feyzi
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Abacilar
authors.forename: Omer Faruk
authors.initials: OF
authors.lastname: Dogan
mesh_terms: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015897:Comorbidity; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006835:Hydrazones / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015990:Placebo Effect; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011292:Premedication / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011724:Pyridazines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D000077464:Simendan; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D006835:Hydrazones; D011724:Pyridazines; D000077464:Simendan