Key result
Preoperative prophylactic digoxin did not significantly reduce the incidence of cardiac arrhythmias compared to no digoxin in patients undergoing pulmonary surgery (50% vs 36%).
Why the study?
Does preoperative prophylactic digoxin prevent cardiac arrhythmias in patients undergoing pulmonary surgery?
RCT (n=111)
Open-label
Randomized
Does preoperative prophylactic digoxin prevent cardiac arrhythmias in patients undergoing pulmonary surgery?
Absolute Event Rate: 50% vs 36%
p-value: p=not significant
Prophylactic digoxin does not reduce the incidence of cardiac arrhythmias in patients undergoing pulmonary surgery, challenging its widespread use for this indication.
Preoperative digoxin does not prevent arrhythmias after pulmonary surgery; challenges routine prophylactic use and supports avoiding it.
BACKGROUND: Prophylactic digoxin is widely used in patients undergoing pulmonary surgery to prevent or control cardiac arrhythmias, but whether it is helpful or not is uncertain. METHODS: An open, controlled randomised prospective clinical study of 111 patients was undertaken to compare the incidence of cardiac arrhythmias in the 58 patients who received preoperative digoxin and the 53 who did not. RESULTS: Cardiac arrhythmia occurred in half (29/58) of those given prophylactic digoxin and in 36% (19/53) of those who were not. The overall incidence of arrhythmia was 43%, with no statistically significant difference between the groups. CONCLUSION: Cardiac arrhythmias remain an important complication of pulmonary surgery and the incidence is not reduced by prophylactic digoxin.
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Ritchie et al. (1992) conducted an RCT in Pulmonary surgery (n=111). Prophylactic digoxin vs. No digoxin was evaluated on Incidence of cardiac arrhythmias (p=not significant). Preoperative prophylactic digoxin did not significantly reduce the incidence of cardiac arrhythmias compared to no digoxin in patients undergoing pulmonary surgery (50% vs 36%).
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