Usefulness of HATCH score as a predictor of atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass graft

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The HATCH score was originally devised to predict the progression of paroxysmal AF to persistent AF. Aim: To determine whether the HATCH score predicts the development of AF after CABG surgery. Methods: The medical records of 284 consecutive patients, who underwent CABG surgery between January 2013 and December 2014, were retrospectively reviewed for the development of AF in the postoperative (POAF) period. The HATCH score, and clinical and echocardiographic parameters were evaluated for all patients. Results: Seventy (25%) patients developed POAF. The HATCH scores were higher in the POAF group (2.8 +/- 1.8 vs. 1.1 +/- 1.2, p < 0.001). The area of the HATCH score under the curve in the receiver operating characteristics analysis was 773 (95% CI 706-841, p < 0.001). When the HATCH score was 2 or more as a threshold, there was for POAF 72% sensitivity and 75% specificity. Conclusions: The results of the present study suggest that the HATCH score can be used to predict the development of POAF.