This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Personal Folders Download to citation manager Author home page(s): Joel Dunning Permission Requests Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Ronald, A. Articles by Dunning, J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Ronald, A. Articles by Dunning, J. Related Collections Education Cardiac - physiology Electrophysiology - arrhythmias

Bi-atrial pacing significantly reduces the Incidence of atrial fibrillation post cardiac surgery

Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZN, UK
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Freeman Hospital, Freeman Road, Newcastle upon Tyre, NE7 7AZ, UK

*Corresponding author: Tel.: +44 780 154 8122.E-mail address: joeldunning{at}doctors.org.uk (J. Dunning).

A best evidence topic in cardiac surgery was written according to a structured protocol. The question addressed was whether either right atrial or bi-atrial pacing effectively reduces the incidence of Atrial fibrillation post cardiac surgery. Altogether 458 papers were found using the reported search, of which 16 represented the best evidence on this topic. The author, journal, date and country of publication, patient group studied, study type, relevant outcomes, results, and study weaknesses were tabulated. We conclude that Right atrial pacing is of no benefit but bi-atrial pacing significantly reduces the incidence of atrial fibrillation with an odds ratio for benefit of 0.51 (95%CI 0.36–0.72) from 11 studies.

Key Words: Thoracic surgery; Atrial fibrillation; Review; Meta-analysis; Pacing

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. Dunning, T. Treasure, M. Versteegh, S. A.M. Nashef, and on behalf of the EACTS Audit and Guidelines Commit Guidelines on the prevention and management of de novo atrial fibrillation after cardiac and thoracic surgery Eur. J. Cardiothorac. Surg., December 1, 2006; 30(6): 852 - 872. [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Dunning and P. McKeown Are the american college of chest physicians guidelines for the prevention and management of atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery already obsolete? Chest, April 1, 2006; 129(4): 1112 - 1113. [Full Text] [PDF]