EFFECT OF AGE ON INCIDENCE OF ATRIAL FIBRILLATION AFTER SURGICAL CLOSURE OF ATRIAL SEPTAL DEFECT TYPE II IN ADULTS

Abstract

Objective: To determine the effect of age on incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF)after surgical closure of atrial septal defect type II (ASD type II) in adults.

Methodology: It was a cross-sectional, study conducted from 1st May 2013 to31st October 2015 at Department of Cardiac Surgery and Anesthesiology,National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases(NICVD), Karachi. Adult patients ofboth genders between the age of 19 to 50 years who underwent isolated surgicalpatch closure of ASD type II were included in the study. They were divided intotwo groups according to their age; in group I the patients' ages ranged from 19-34years and in group II the patients' ages ranged from 35-50 years. The effect of ageon the occurrence of postoperative atrial fibrillation was analyzed.

Results: The study included 86 patients who underwent surgical patch closure ofASD type II. There were 47 patients (55%) in the age range of 19-34 years ingroup I and 39 patients (45%) in the age range of 35-50 years in group II. In GroupI none of the patient had preoperative or postoperative AF. In group II three patients- a 45 year old male, 49 and 50 years old females developed AF postoperatively.There was a significant difference in the occurrence of postoperative AF betweenthe two groups (p<0.05).

Conclusion: Increasing age was a risk factor for occurrence of postoperativeatrial fibrillation in patients who underwent ASD type II surgical patch closure.