title: Vitamin C for the Prevention of Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation after Cardiac Surgery: A Meta-Analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Several studies have investigated the administration of vitamin C (vitC) for the prevention of postoperative atrial fibrillation (AF) after cardiac surgery. However, their findings were inconsistent. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the efficacy of vitC as prophylaxis for the prevention of postoperative AF in cardiac surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  A systematic search of PubMed, EMBASE, Google Scholar, the Cochrane Library, and clinical trial registries, was performed. 9 studies, published from August 2001 to May 2015, were included, with a total of 1,037 patients. Patients were randomized to receive vitC, or placebo.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cardiac surgery patients who received vitC as prophylaxis, had a significantly lower incidence of postoperative AF (random effects OR=0.478, 95% CI 0.340 - 0.673, P < 10(-4)). No significant heterogeneity was detected across the analyzed studies (I(2)=21.7%), and no publication bias or other small study-related bias was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that VitC is effective as prophylaxis for the prevention of postoperative AF. The administration of vitC may be considered in all patients undergoing cardiac surgery.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department Red Cross Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Evangelos
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Polymeropoulos
authors.affiliation: Department of Computer Science and Biomedical Informatics, University of Thessaly, Lamia, Greece.
authors.forename: Pantelis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bagos
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine Department, Laiko Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Papadimitriou
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department, Attiko Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rizos
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Medical School of the National University of Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Efstratios
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Patsouris
authors.affiliation: Cardiac Surgery Department, Attiko Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Τoumpoulis
keywords: CABG; Cardiac surgery; Post-operative atrial fibrillation; Valvular surgery; Vitamin C