title: Does aortic valve disease etiology predict postoperative atrial fibrillation in patients undergoing aortic valve surgery?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) is one of the most common complications of cardiac surgery and is associated with increased mortality and morbidity.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed 830 patients without prior atrial fibrillation who underwent aortic valve replacement for aortic stenosis and/or aortic regurgitation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence of POAF was 38%. The patients with POAF were older, predominately male and hypertensive. The incidence of POAF was significantly different according to the valve etiology. At multivariate analysis, rheumatic and degenerative aortic valve etiologies were independent predictors of POAF.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Aortic valve disease etiology affects the development of POAF. Rheumatic and degenerative etiologies have a higher risk of developing POAF independently of other clinical, functional and hemodynamic variables.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Evangelisches Krankenhaus, Wertgasse 30, 45468, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany.
authors.forename: Rajesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dandale
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Onorati
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Krapivsky
authors.forename: Paschalis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kekes
authors.forename: Aldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Milano
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Santini
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Faggian
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001022:Aortic Valve Insufficiency / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: aortic valve disease; aortic valve replacement; atrial fibrillation; echocardiography