Diabetics Have the Same Risk and Benefits Regarding Postoperative Amiodarone Prophylaxis for Atrial Fibrillation When Undergoing Surgery for Lung Cancer

Lars P. Riber, Thomas D. Christensen, Hans K. Pilegaard

Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.

DOI: 10.4236/ojts.2013.32012                

Abstract

Background: To evaluate if the risk for developing atrial fibrillation after lung surgery is higher for diabetics than non-diabetic patients and whether diabetic status prolongs the length of in-hospital stay. Objective: To compare the outcome of amiodarone prophylaxis in diabetics and non-diabetics. Design: Subgroup analysis within a randomized, controlled, double-blinded trial. Results: Development of atrial fibrillation was equally frequent among diabetics (18.2%) and non-diabetics (20.5%) (p = 1.00). Atrial fibrillation occurred in 7.1% of prophylactic diabetics and in 9.3% of prophylactic non-diabetics, while 37.5% non-prophylactic diabetics and 31.3% non-prophylactic non-diabetics experienced atrial fibrillation (p = 0.31). Prophylactic amiodarone was equally effective in diabetics as in non-diabetics with a relative risk of 3.5 (1.8 - 67.0) and the number need to treat of 4.4 (3.3 - 8.3) (p = 0.31). The length of in-hospital stay for diabetics was equal to non-diabetics with an average stay of 7.1 versus 8 days at Aarhus University Hospital (p = 0.61) with similar stays at intermediary and intensive care unit as well as total in-hospital stay of 8.9 versus 10 days (p = 0.60). Conclusions: Diabetics have the same risk of atrial fibrillation and the same benefits from prophylactic amiodarone as non-diabetics after surgery for lung cancer. Furthermore, diabetics have the same length of stay as non-diabetics. No severe adverse effects were found in either group.

Keywords

Lung Surgery; Atrial Fibrillation; Diabetics

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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