Atrial Fibrillation: A Case Study

Reference: Shimony, A., Afilalo, J., Flynn, A., Langleban, D., Agnihotri, K., et al. (2014). Usefulness of right ventricular dysfunction to predict new-onset atrial fibrillation following coronary artery bypass grafting. The American Journal of Cardiology, 913-8. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.francis.idm.oclc.org/docview/1525978139/B9F7E9097AC14517PQ/20?accountid=4216

Summary: For many, atrial fibrillation may be a common postoperative complication after coronary artery bypass grafting surgery. This research study sought to identify right ventricular risk factors that may be contributory and right ventricular echocardiographic parameters that may be helpful for physicians when determining a patient's risk for atrial fibrillation.
Data was collected from 2 university hospitals--Massachusetts General Hospital and Jewish General Hospital in Quebec. Echocardiographic parameters were as follows: "left- and right-side chamber size, geometry, systolic function, diastolic function, and valvular regurgitation and/or stenosis". Patients had an initial echocardiogram before surgery and were then reevaluated by an independent cardiologist who did not know the study's outcomes.

The study revealed that patients who had a larger right atrium, worse right ventricular myocardial performance index, higher tricuspid regurgitation severity, higher pulmonary artery pressure, and no change in right ventricle fractional area change had a worsened prognosis of experiencing atrial fibrillation post-operative from CABG surgery. Specifically, the myocardial performance index proved to be a noteworthy key in helping identify atrial fibrillation outcomes in conjunction with other patient demographic