title: Omega-3 polyunsaturated Fatty acids reduce the incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation in patients with history of prior myocardial infarction undergoing isolated coronary artery bypass grafting.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The impact of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) for prevention of atrial fibrillation (AF) is still part of a lively debate. The present study evaluates the impact of orally administered omega-3 ethyl ester concentrate (omega-3 PUFA) on postoperative onset of AF in patients with recent myocardial infarction (≤ 3 months) undergoing isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Patients and
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included a total of 198 patients with recent (≤ 3 months) myocardial infarction. The treatment group consisted of 99 prospectively and randomly assigned patients. A matched control group was generated out of the entirety of patients undergoing isolated CABG during the same time period, being not treated with omega-3 PUFA. Primary endpoint was onset of postoperative AF. Patients of the treatment group received a daily dose of 2 g omega-3 PUFA, initiated 5 days before surgery. Effective serum levels were confirmed by laboratory testing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients of the treatment group had less frequently postoperative AF (treatment: 31.3% vs. control: 48.0%; p = 0.017). The reduction in relative risk was 34.8% in the treatment group, which conforms a number needed to treat (NNT) of 6.0 patients. A more pronounced effect with a NNT of 4.1 was observed in patients ≤ 70 years (p = 0.007). Besides, patients of the treatment group had a shorter intensive care unit stay (p = 0.001) and suffered less frequently from impaired wound healing by trend (p = 0.063). One patient out of treatment group and two out of control group died during hospital stay (p = 1.000).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preoperative administration of 2 g omega-3 PUFA reduces incidence of postoperative AF in patients with recent (≤ 3 months) myocardial infarction undergoing isolated CABG.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery, University Heart Center Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wilbring
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery, University Heart Center Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Katrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ploetze
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery, University Heart Center Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Susann
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bormann
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery, University Heart Center Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Waldow
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery, University Heart Center Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matschke
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004562:Electrocardiography; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3