Comparison of the length of hospital stay between the patients with atrial fibrillation treated with amiodarone and patients with normal sinus rhythm after coronary artery bypass graft

Postoperative atrial fibrillation occurs in 20% to 40% of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting [CABG] and contributes to increasing length of stay and hospital cost. The purpose of our study was to compare the length of hospital stay between patients of postoperative atrial fibrillation treated with amiodarone [experimental] and those with normal sinus rhythm [NSR] [Control] after CABG. From October of 2008 to October 2010, our experimental group including 26 patients was treated with amiodarone in Tabriz Madani Heart Center. The background variables, length of atrial fibrillation, and length of hospital stay were recorded. The experimental group was compared with a control group of 50 patients. The two groups were the same in terms of age, gender, ejection fraction, vascular diseases and risk factors. The hospital stay duration was 8.0 +/- 1.6 and 7.4 +/- 1.4 days [p = 0.08] for experimental, and control groups respectively. Atrial fibrillation occurred mainly [60%] on the second postoperative day. 25 patients out of 26 patients [96%] returned to NSR after starting the amiodarone protocol and the length of hospital stay in the experimental group was not significantly different from that of the control group. Thus, treating with Amiodarone in postoperative atrial fibrillation can reduce hospital stay duration compared to that of normal sinus patients.