The incidence of atrial fibrillation and its impact on the length of stay following valvular heart surgery

Aim: There is minimal evidence regarding predictors, preventative measures and treatments of new onset of post-operative atrial fibrillation (POAF) in patients undergoing valvular heart surgery. This study aimed to determine the incidence of new onset atrial fibrillation (AF) and its impact on outcomes and length of stay (LOS) for patients following valvular heart surgery. Methods: A single-centre, retrospective study was conducted. Results: New onset AF was observed in 51/120 (42.5%) patients. Baseline and surgical characteristics were similar between patients who did and did not develop AF, although suggestive older age may increase the risk of developing POAF (p=0.06). New onset AF was significantly associated with longer intensive care unit (ICU) LOS-median increase of 2 days (p=0.002)-and overall hospital LOS-median increase of 1.5 days (p=0.006). Patients who received double valve surgery spent 2.5 times longer in the ICU compared to patients who had an aortic valve replacement (AVR) (p=0.033). Conclusion: The incidence of new onset AF following valvular heart surgery was high, with associated prolonged ICU and hospital LOS. Patients undergoing double valve surgery were more likely to have a longer ICU LOS compared with those who received an AVR.