Postoperative atrial fibrillation following emergency noncardiothoracic surgery: A systematic review

Catecholamine Vasopressors and the Risk of Atrial Fibrillation After Noncardiac Surgery: A Prospective Observational Study

Background

Catecholamine vasopressors are commonly used for intra- or post-operative hypotension for cardiac surgery, which have a side effect of new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) and myocardial ischemia. However, it is not entirely clear whether catecholamine vasopressors increase the risk of new-onset AF after noncardiac surgery.

Aim

The aim of this study was to analyze the association between the use of catecholamine vasopressors and the risk of developing new-onset AF after noncardiac surgery.

Methods

In this prospective trial, available data from eligible elderly individuals receiving noncardiac surgery at a single center from November 2022 to January 2024 were gathered. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to balance patient baseline characteristics and to control for confounders. To determine the association between catecholamine vasopressors and the risk of new-onset AF, univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed.

Results

A total of 6000 subjects were included in this study (mean [SD] age, 70.73 [6.37] years; 910 [50.9%] males). After PSM, the patients were stratified into catecholamine vasopressor (n = 357) and comparator groups (n = 1432). A total of 18/357 patients in the catecholamine vasopressor group developed AF, and 25/1432 patients in the comparator group developed AF (incidence rate, 5.0% vs 1.7%). Compared with the comparator group, the catecholamine vasopressor group had an increased risk of new-onset AF (aOR, 2.77; 95% CI, 1.28-5.89). Some sensitivity analyses also revealed consistent findings of increased new-onset AF risk associated with catecholamine vasopressor treatment.

Conclusion

The findings from this study suggest that catecholamine vasopressor treatment is associated with an increased risk of new-onset AF and may help physicians select a modest medication for patients while also assessing the risk of new-onset AF.

Incidence and predictors of post-surgery atrial fibrillation occurrence: A cohort study in 53,387 patients

Introduction

Atrial fibrillation (AF) represents the most common arrhythmia in the postoperative setting. We aimed to investigate the incidence of postoperative AF (POAF) and determine its predictors, with a specific focus on inflammation markers.

Methods

We performed a retrospective single tertiary center cohort study including consecutive adult patients who underwent a major surgical procedure between January 2016 and January 2020. Patients were divided into four subgroups according to the type of surgery.

Results

Among 53,387 included patients (79.4% male, age 64.5 ± 9.5 years), POAF occurred in 570 (1.1%) with a mean latency after surgery of 3.4 ± 2.6 days. Ninety patients died (0.17%) after a mean of 13.7 ± 8.4 days. The 28-day arrhythmia-free survival was lower in patients undergoing lung and cardiovascular surgery (p < .001). Patients who developed POAF had higher levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) (0.70 ± 0.03 vs. 0.40 ± 0.01 log10 mg/dl; p < .001). In the multivariable Cox regression analysis, adjusting for confounding factors, CRP was an independent predictor of POAF [HR per 1 mg/dL increase in log-scale = 1.81 (95% CI 1.18-2.79); p = .007]. Moreover, independent predictors of POAF were also age (HR/1 year increase = 1.06 (95% CI 1.04-1.08); I < .001), lung and cardiovascular surgery (HR 23.62; (95% CI 5.65-98.73); p < .001), and abdominal and esophageal surgery (HR 6.26; 95% CI 1.48-26.49; p = .013).

Conclusions

Lung and cardiovascular surgery had the highest risk of POAF in the presented cohort. CRP was an independent predictor of POAF and postsurgery inflammation may represent a major driver in the pathophysiology of the arrhythmia.

Risk factors for enhanced recovery after surgery failure in patients undergoing lung cancer resection with concomitant cardiovascular disease: A single-center retrospective study

Objective

Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) has been widely used in patients with lung cancer, and its effectiveness has been confirmed; however, some lung cancers with poor clinical outcomes lead to ERAS failure after radical resection. This study aimed to analyze risk factors associated with ERAS failure after radical resection in patients with lung cancer and concomitant cardiovascular disease.

Methods

In total, 198 patients who underwent ERAS following radical lung cancer surgery for concomitant cardiovascular disease between January 2022 and September 2023 were enrolled in this retrospective study. The patients were categorized into two groups based on the definition of ERAS failure: ERAS success group (n = 152) and ERAS failure group (n = 46). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to investigate the risk factors of ERAS failure.

Results

Univariate analysis showed that gender, tumor location, operation time, estimated blood loss (EBL), suction drainage, and total cholesterol were associated with ERAS failure. Multivariate analysis showed that operation time (odds ratio [OR] = 1.015; P = 0.011) and suction drainage (OR = 3.343; P = 0.008) were independent risk factors for ERAS failure.

Conclusions

Operation time and suction drainage were independent risk factors for ERAS failure after radical resection of combined cardiovascular lung cancer. Therefore, improving surgical efficiency and postoperative chest drain management are important for successful ERAS.

Therapeutic validity and effectiveness of exercise interventions after lower limb-salvage surgery for sarcoma: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

An increasing number of patients are surviving sarcoma after lower limb-salvage surgery (LSS) and are left with functional limitations. This systematic review aimed to determine the therapeutic validity and effectiveness of exercise interventions after lower limb-salvage surgery (LSS) for sarcoma.

METHODS

A systematic review was conducted using formal narrative synthesis of intervention studies (with and without control group) identified through PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, and PEDro databases. Studies were included if participants were treated with LSS for unilateral lower limb sarcoma and followed an exercise intervention using active exercise, physical training, or rehabilitation before and/or after surgery. This review's outcome measures were interventions' therapeutic validity, assessed using the CONTENT scale (0 to 9); methodological quality, identified using the Downs & Black checklist (0 to 28); interventions' effectiveness, assessed based on differences in outcome measures between intervention and control groups; and certainty of evidence, classified according to the GRADE approach.

RESULTS

Seven studies involving 214 participants were included. None of the included interventions were therapeutically valid (median 5, range 1-5). All but one study were of at least fair methodological quality (median 18, range 14-21). There was very low-quality evidence that exercise interventions resulted in increased knee range of motion (MD 10-15°) or compliance (MD 30%), and reduced functionality scores (MD -5%) compared to usual care.

CONCLUSIONS

We found overall low therapeutic validity of interventions, performed in overall low-quality studies. Combined with the very low certainty of evidence, the results prevent drawing valid conclusions on the interventions' effectiveness. Future studies should aim for uniformity among their methodological approaches and outcome measures, using the CONTENT scale as a template to avert insufficient reporting.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42021244635.