The Role of P wave Duration in Prediction of Atrial Fibrillation after Cardiac Surgery

Background- Atrial arrhythmias occur frequently after cardiac surgery, and atrial fibrillation (AF) was the most common atrial arrhythmia after cardiac surgery. It occurs in up to 40% of patients primarily within 2 to 3 days, and it can compromise systemic hemodynamics and increase the risk of embolization. Some clinical issues can predict the risk of atrial fibrillation, like P wave duration. The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of P wave duration in prediction of post cardiac surgery AF. Methods- We measured P wave duration in 206 cardiac surgery patients the day before surgery and followed the patients for 3 days to find the possible relation between P wave duration and the risk of AF after surgery. Results- Our study showed the prevalence of AF after cardiac surgery was about 9% and there was no relation between P wave duration before surgery and risk of AF after surgery. Conclusion- The risk of AF in our patients was less than other studies, and this study showed we can not use P wave duration in surface ECG as a predictor of post-cardiac surgery AF (Iranian Heart Journal 2006; 7 (4): 49-51).