Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the most common complications following heart surgery. The aim of this work was to verify the relationship between inflammatory markers, oxidative stress and postoperative arrhythmia.
Methods: 45 patients with ischemic heart disease (12 women and 33 men, mean age 62.3 ± 9.4 years) underwent surgical myocardial revascularization. The extracorporeal circulation (ECC) was used in 30 patients, without ECC was 15 patients. During the first 3 postoperative days was determining the incidence and duration of the AF, laboratory markers of inflammation (CRP, leukocytes, TNFα), malondialdehyde (MDA).
Results: Demographic data and associated disease were in this patients similar. The incidence of AF we documented in 30 patients (66.7%). In patients with postoperative AF were significantly higher levels of inflammatory markers (leukocytes 13.6 ± 3.6 vs 11.3 ± 3.6; 14.7 ± 3.9 vs 12.5 ± 2.9; 13.7 ± 4.1 vs 11.4 ± 13.7; p 0.05; CRP 138.1 ± 41.1 vs 69.9 ± 25.8; p 0.001; TNFα 11.3 ± 14.3 vs 8.7 ± 3.6; 12.1 ± 14.5 vs 8.7 ± 3.1; p 0.05) compared with patients who were free from AF. Values of MDA were not significantly different.
Conclusion: Patients with post-operative atrial fibrillation were higher levels of inflammatory markers compared with patients with sinus rhythm but no significant differences in the levels of oxidative stress.