Evaluation of Dysrhythmias Following Transfusion After Coronary Artery Bypasses Grafting

Abstract

Background: Coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) is a common surgical operation usually<br />performed under cardiopulmonary bypass. Although the relationship between the transfusion of<br />blood products during and after surgery with the incidence of arrhythmia has been studied,<br />contradictory results have been achieved. In the current study, we investigated the correlation<br />between blood products transfusion during and after surgery with the incidence of postoperative<br />arrhythmia.<br />Method: Patients candidated for CABG were entered into the present cross-sectional study. The<br />incidence of arrhythmia (supraventricular and ventricular, transient or permanent), history of<br />medications and renal diseases, and transfusion of blood products during or after the operation<br />were recorded and analyzed.<br />Results: Twenty-two (8.2%) patients experienced atrial fibrillation and 50 (18.7%) experienced<br />premature ventricular contractions. The use of packed red blood cells in the operating room was<br />inversely correlated with the odds of the incidence of at least one of the arrhythmias (OR = 0.5,<br />95% CI: 0.28 to 0.87; P = 0.015). The number of grafts, high blood pressure, duration of<br />mechanical ventilation in the ICU, and the potassium level upon admission to the ICU were<br />directly correlated with the incidence of arrhythmia. Moreover, the transfusion of platelets in<br />the ICU and the use of cryoprecipitate in the operating room were inversely correlated with the<br />incidence of atrial fibrillation (not all arrhythmias).<br />Conclusions: According to the findings of the present study, conditionings to maintain the normal<br />hematocrit level and platelet count is associated with decreased odds of arrhythmia incidence<br />during and after CABG.