Preventive Use of Ascorbic Acid For Atrial Fibrillation After Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery

Atrial fibrillation is one of the most frequent complications and a major risk of morbidity and mortality after cardiac surgery. Antioxidants such as vitamin C are used for prevention of this arrhythmia. Different results of studies have been reported, but most of them have shown efficiency of vitamin C in prophylaxis of postoperative AF. We tried to examine this efficacy with larger sample size.

Three hundred and fourteen on pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery alone. Patients were divided into two groups: The intervention group received vitamin C (N = 160) and the control group did not receive any (N = 154). Intervention group was administered two grams of vitamin C intravenously (IV) 24 hours preoperatively, 500 mg every 12 hours IV for 48 hours in ICU, and 500 mg every 12 hours PO for 48 hours in ward. Continuous monitoring in ICU and three times a day ECG was used for AF detection. The two groups were compared.

The two groups were matched in terms of age, sex, LA size, ejection fraction, functional class, and TSH level. Of the patients, 244 were male. Mean age was 62 years (40-84 years) in both groups. M/F ratio was four in both groups. Functional class and ejection fraction were the same in both groups. There was no mean TSH level difference. AF occurrence in vitamin C group was 7.6 % and in control group was 7.8 %. There was no difference in ICU or hospital stay.

Prophylactic use of vitamin C does not further reduce postoperative atrial fibrillation in on pump CABG patients.