title: Colchicine in prevention of atrial fibrillation following cardiac surgery: systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Inflammation is one of the predictors of atrial fibrillation (AF) following surgical or interventional cardiac procedures. Recent evidence suggests that colchicine may represent a new strategy to prevent AF following cardiac procedures. This study aims to assess the antiinflammatory efficacy of colchicine in prevention of early AF event (EAFE).
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed all available studies that assessed the effectiveness of colchicine therapy on the occurrence of AF in patients undergoing cardiac procedures. Meta-analysis was performed by random effect inverse variance-weighted method by entering AF events and the total population from each study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After thorough review of the databases, we found three studies comparing colchicine and placebo which had EAFE as the outcome. Of 584 patients, 286 patients were on colchicine and 298 on placebo. All the three studies were randomized. After pooled analysis, colchicine was associated with significant reduction in AF events compared to placebo (odds ratio = 0.44 [0.29, 0.66], P < 0.001). There was no statistical heterogeneity between included studies (χ(2) = 0.45, P = 0.80, I(2) = 0%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Colchicine may prove beneficial in the prevention of AF following cardiac surgery. Further research is warranted.
authors.affiliation: St. Davids Medical Center, Suite 408, Austin, Texas 78705, USA.
authors.forename: Chintan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Trivedi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Smt. B K Shah Medical Institute and Research Centre, Piparia, Vadodara, Gujarat, India.
authors.forename: Mihir
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sadadia
mesh_terms: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D003078:Colchicine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D003078:Colchicine
keywords: Atrial fibrillation; colchicine; early recurrence