Korean J Crit Care Med.  2007 Jun;22(1):25-29.

Nonlinear Analysis of Heart Rate Variability: Possible Predictor for Atrial Fibrillation after Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) Surgery

• Im KS
• Kim JB
• Lee JM
• Park K
• Jung HJ
• Rhee JY

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is a valuable marker of autonomic tone and may assist evaluating the prognosis in patients with heart disease. The purpose of this study was to assess whether preoperative heart rate variability analysis predicts atrial fibrillation in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. METHODS: This study was designed as a prospective observational study. After IRB approval was obtained by our institution, 76 patients scheduled for elective CABG surgery underwent a 10-min electrocardiogram recordings 1~2 hours prior to surgery. Heart rate variability analysis was performed with spectral analysis and point correlation dimension. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the low and high frequency component (LF/HF) ratio preoperatively between patients with atrial fibrillation and patients with normal sinus rhythm postoperatively (3.0+/-2.45, 4.25+/-3.70, p=0.085). Baseline peak point correlation dimension (pPD2) was significantly higher in patients with atrial fibrillation than in patients with normal sinus rhythm postoperatively (4.2+/-0.8, 3.8+/-0.7, p=0.042). CONCLUSIONS: Patients who developed atrial fibrillation postoperatively had a higher baseline pPD2 value preoperatively. Point correlation dimensions may predict the occurrence of postoperative atrial fibrillation after CABG surgery. However, further studies are needed to confirm whether point correlation dimensions are an effective predictor for postoperative atrial fibrillation.

Keyword

Arrhythmia; Coronary artery bypass graft surgery; Heart rate variability

MeSH Terms

Arrhythmias, Cardiac
Atrial Fibrillation*
Coronary Artery Bypass*
Coronary Vessels*
Electrocardiography
Ethics Committees, Research
Heart Diseases
Heart Rate*
Heart*
Humans
Observational Study
Prognosis
Prospective Studies
Transplants