Using Atrial Electromechanical Changes to Predict Arrhythmias After Cardiovascular Surgery

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying whether non-invasive echocardiographic techniques can better predict the risk of developing arrhythmias, specifically atrial fibrillation, after cardiovascular surgery. The study focuses on detecting inter- and intra-atrial dyssynchrony as a key factor that might increase this risk. It aims to describe atrial deformation patterns and evaluate new methods like left atrial ejection fraction via 3D echocardiography in predicting postoperative atrial fibrillation. Before surgery, patients will receive a detailed Doppler echocardiogram using atrial strain analysis with speckle tracking to measure atrial activation timing and deformation across multiple left and right atrial segments. This includes a novel approach called OMEGA to assess simultaneous atrial contractions. These measurements help identify atrial dyssynchrony. Patients will then be monitored during hospitalization and followed up by phone at 28 and 365 days after surgery. Participants will have continuous heart rhythm monitoring for five days post-surgery to detect atrial fibrillation. Follow-up interviews at 28 and 365 days will check for supraventricular arrhythmias. Data are collected electronically for analysis. The main outcome is the occurrence of atrial fibrillation from surgery until hospital discharge, with secondary outcomes measured at 28 and 365 days. This study plans to enroll 138 patients and track them through their hospital stay and one year afterward for arrhythmia events.

Atrial Dyssynchrony to Predict Arrhythmias in the Postoperative Setting of Cardiovascular Surgery.