This retrospective cohort included 5,170 adults undergoing isolated coronary artery bypass grafting; 652 (13%) developed postoperative atrial fibrillation. After propensity-score inverse probability weighting, atrial fibrillation was associated with perioperative stroke (odds ratio 2.59, 95% confidence interval 1.19-5.64) and prolonged mechanical ventilation (odds ratio 1.73, 95% confidence interval 1.22-2.45). Hospital stay was longer by 2.4 days (95% confidence interval 1.6-3.3). Over a median 12.8-year follow-up, postoperative atrial fibrillation was associated with higher all-cause mortality (hazard ratio 1.31, 95% confidence interval 1.23-1.51).
Postoperative atrial fibrillation may mark increased perioperative and long-term risk after isolated coronary bypass surgery. These associations do not establish that preventing the arrhythmia improves outcomes.
Study limitation: The retrospective, single-centre design leaves potential residual confounding despite propensity-score weighting.
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