Contemporary analysis of incidence of post-operative atrial fibrillation, its predictors, and association with clinical outcomes in lung transplantation

Adverse outcomes associated with postoperative atrial arrhythmias after lung transplantation: A meta‐analysis and systematic review of the literature

“…The PRISMA flow diagram detailing the disposition of retrieved publications is shown in Figure . Nine studies were included in our final analysis, yielding a total of 2653 patients (Table ). Of these, 791 had postoperative AAs, giving an overall incidence of 29.8%.…”

“…The peak onset of AAs after lung transplant varied from 2 to 7 days. Of note, five studies grouped atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter together, with a combined incidence of 31.8% (487/1532). Four studies divided AAs into atrial fibrillation (AF) and atrial flutter/supraventricular tachycardia (AFL/SVT) and found a total incidence of AAs of 27.1% (304/1121), of which 89.1% (271/304) were AF.…”

“…Four studies including 1046 patients used data pre‐ and post‐implementation of the LAS (ie, peri‐LAS). Finally, three studies with 1076 patients included only post‐LAS transplants. The incidence of postoperative AAs in the pre‐, peri‐, and post‐LAS cohorts was 30.1%, 31.3%, and 29.5%, respectively.…”

“…Outcomes associated with postoperative AAs after lung transplantation, however, are not as well characterized. While many authors have found an effect on postoperative LOS, there are conflicting reports of the impact of postoperative AAs on complications and mortality . Furthermore, these studies span more than 20 years of lung transplantation and were often underpowered to detect a difference in mortality or complications.…”

“…As lung transplantation continues to mature, increased emphasis will be placed upon outcomes and prophylaxis for preventable complications . Because it is currently unclear whether postoperative AAs have a significant impact on outcomes after lung transplantation, we have performed this systematic review and meta‐analysis to determine whether AAs after lung transplantation impede recovery.…”