Trial reportThe Annals of thoracic surgery2023
Characteristics of Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation and the Effect of Posterior Pericardiotomy.
Trial report in The Annals of thoracic surgery, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 13 citations in OpenAlex.
- Differences in Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation Incidence and Outcomes After Cardiac Surgery According to Assessment Method and Definition: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Journal of the American Heart Association · 2023Pooled it
- Association of left posterior pericardiotomy with postoperative atrial fibrillation in Isolated OPCAB: a propensity-weighted analysis.Journal of cardiothoracic surgery · 2026Article
- Effect of posterior pericardiotomy on atrial fibrillation in minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass surgery.General thoracic and cardiovascular surgery · 2026Article
- Triangular posterior pericardiectomy and postoperative outcomes after coronary artery bypass grafting.Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine · 2026Article
- Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation Impacted by Completeness of Coronary Revascularization and Antiplatelet Regimen.Cardiovascular therapeutics · 2026Article
- Cancer Is a Major Determinant of Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation After Cardiac Surgery.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Article
- Posterior left pericardiotomy: what is the advantage in cardiac surgery?European journal of cardio-thoracic surgery : official journal of the European Association for Cardio-thoracic Surgery · 2025Review
- Pericardial Fluid of Patients With Coronary Artery Disease Can Drive Fibrosis Via TGF-Beta Pathway.JACC. Basic to translational science · 2024Article
- 2023 Electrophysiology Literature in Review: A Surgeon's Perspective.The Journal of innovations in cardiac rhythm management · 2024Article
- Posterior pericardiotomy: "omnia cum tempore" (everything in its time).EuroIntervention : journal of EuroPCR in collaboration with the Working Group on Interventional Cardiology of the European Society of Cardiology · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
18 authors at 7 institutions in 4 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundPostoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) is a frequent complication of cardiac surgery. However, only a few detailed descriptions of the arrhythmia have been reported. We aim to describe the characteristics, outcomes, and variables associated with POAF and to evaluate how posterior pericardiotomy (PP) affects POAF characteristics.
methodsIn this post hoc analysis of the Posterior left pericardiotomy for the prevention of AtriaL fibrillation After Cardiac Surgery (PALACS) trial, we describe POAF characteristics based on continuous in-hospital telemetry data.
resultsOf 420 patients, 103 (24.5%) developed POAF. Median time to onset was 50.3 hours; 70.9% of events occurred within 3 days. Hemodynamic instability and rapid ventricular response occurred in 8.7% and 51.5% of cases, respectively. Most POAF patients received antiarrhythmics (97.1%), 22.3% electrical cardioversion, and 40.8% systemic anticoagulation. Median POAF duration was 24.0 hours; 70.9% of cases resolved within 36 hours. Median POAF burden was 15.9%. All patients were in sinus rhythm at follow-up. POAF was associated with longer hospitalization (7 vs 6 days; P < .001), but not increased mortality or morbidity. PP reduced POAF incidence (17.7% vs 31.3%; P = .001), especially after postoperative day 2 (time to POAF onset 41.9 vs 57.1 hours; P = .01). Age was associated with POAF. Female sex, coronary artery bypass grafting, beta blockers, and PP were inversely associated.
conclusionsPOAF remains frequent after cardiac surgery. Hemodynamic instability is rare, although rapid ventricular response and need for electrical cardioversion are frequent. POAF burden is significant, and the arrhythmias resolve within 30 days. PP reduces POAF especially after postoperative day 2.
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