title: Early ventricular tachyarrhythmias after coronary artery bypass grafting surgery: Is it a real burden?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prevalence of ventricular dysrhythmias (VD) [ventricular premature beats (VPBs), ventricular couplets (Vcouplets), ventricular runs (Vruns)] after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) has so far not been examined. The goal of this study is to examine characteristics of VD and whether they precede ventricular tachyarrhythmias (VTA) during a postoperative follow-up period of 5 days using continuous rhythm registrations. In addition, we determined predictive factors of VD/VTA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Incidences and burdens of VD/VTA were calculated in patients (N=105, 83 male, 65±9 years) undergoing primary, on-pump CABG. Independent risk factors were examined using multivariate analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  VPBs, Vcouplets, and Vruns occurred in respectively 100%, 82.9%, and 48.6% with corresponding burdens of 0.05%, 0%, and 0%. Sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) and ventricular fibrillation (VF) did not occur in our cohort. Independent risk factors for VD included male gender, mitral valve insufficiency, hyperlipidemia, and age ≥60 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  VD are common in patients with coronary artery disease after CABG. Despite high incidences of these dysrhythmias, corresponding burdens are low and sustained VT or VF did not occur. Incidences were highest on the first postoperative day and diminished over time.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Cardio-thoracic Surgery, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Elisabeth M J P
authors.initials: EMJP
authors.lastname: Mouws
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ameeta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yaksh
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Knops
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardio-thoracic Surgery, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kik
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Boersma
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardio-thoracic Surgery, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ad J J C
authors.initials: AJJC
authors.lastname: Bogers
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: nmsdegroot@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Natasja M S
authors.initials: NMS
authors.lastname: de Groot
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery; D012307:Risk Factors; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D018879:Ventricular Premature Complexes / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*
keywords: Bypass surgery; Continuous rhythm registration; Coronary disease; Electrocardiogram; Ventricular arrhythmia