Takeaway
- This meta-analysis suggests that patients with new-onset perioperative/postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) are at an increased risk for stroke and mortality, both in the short-and long-term compared with those without POAF.
Why this matters
- Findings highlight the need for a strategy to reduce stroke risk among patients with POAF.
Study design
- 35 studies involving 2,458,010 participants met eligibility criteria after a search on PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane Library.
- Funding: Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan.
Key results
- POAF was associated with increased risks for:
- early stroke (OR, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.47-1.80; P<.00001),
- early mortality (OR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.11-1.88; P=.007),
- long-term stroke (HR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.07-1.77; P=.01) and
- long-term mortality (HR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.27-1.49; P<.00001).
- In subgroup analyses, POAF was associated with higher risk for stroke in patients receiving noncardiac surgery vs cardiac surgery (HR, 2.00; 95% CI, 1.70-2.35 vs HR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.07-1.34; P for subgroup difference <.0001).
Limitations
- Heterogeneity among included studies.
References
References
