Key result
Post-thoracotomy atrial fibrillation is linked to increased HRV and decreased RR intervals versus controls.
Why the study?
Autonomic fluctuations before the onset of postoperative AF have been reported, but with conflicting results.
Case-Control (n=96)
p-value: p=<0.0001
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Autonomic monitoring may inform postoperative AF timing; leaves open whether targeted interventions reduce incidence.
Amar et al. (2003) conducted a case-control in Postoperative atrial fibrillation/flutter after thoracotomy (n=96). Postoperative atrial fibrillation vs. Age- and gender-matched surgical controls without AF was evaluated on Heart rate variability (HRV) parameters including standard deviation of RRs (p=<0.0001). Patients developing postoperative atrial fibrillation after thoracotomy exhibited significant increases in heart rate variability parameters (P<0.0001) and decreased RR intervals (P=0.02) vs controls.
Synapse has enriched 4 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: