B-type Natriuretic Peptide and Other Risk Factors for Predicting Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation after Thoracic Surgery

Background Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) is associated with increased morality rate, prolonged hospitalization, and reduced long-term survival after surgery. Thus, prediction of POAF is important to assess surgical risk and provide prophylaxis. Methods It was a prospective study of 207 consecutive patients who underwent a routine preoperative laboratory testing before thoracic surgery from October 2016 to May 2017. Comprehensive data were collected. Then stepwise multivariate logistic regression analysis was adopted to identify significant risk factors associated with POAF from various variables. Results As results, three variables as follows: male gender, open thoracotomy, and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) exceeding 59 pg/mL were considered as independent risk factors associated with POAF ( p <0.05). Conclusion In patients undergoing noncardiac thoracic surgery, we found that an elevated preoperative BNP level (with the level of 59 pg/mL as a cutoff), male gender, and open-chest surgeries were significant risk factors for POAF. The identification of patients who are prone to develop POAF will provide prevention strategies to reduce this complication.