Predicting Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation Using HARMS2-AF Score.

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Cardiac Surgery
• Medical Risk Prediction

Background:

• Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) is a frequent complication following cardiac surgery.
• Existing risk scores have limited accuracy in identifying patients susceptible to POAF.
• Accurate prediction of POAF is crucial for patient management and outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of the novel HARMS2-AF risk score.
• To predict the incidence of POAF specifically after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study including 265 patients undergoing CABG surgery (2022-2023).
• Data collected from patient medical files and hospital records.
• HARMS2-AF risk score assigned to each patient; univariate and multivariate regression analyses performed.

Main Results:

• 49 out of 265 patients developed POAF.
• Higher HARMS2-AF scores were observed in patients with POAF.
• Independent predictors of POAF included age, sleep apnea, left atrial diameter, and HARMS2-AF score.
• A HARMS2-AF score ≥ 4.5 demonstrated 91% sensitivity and 64% specificity for POAF prediction (AUC = 0.787).

Conclusions:

• The HARMS2-AF score is a robust predictor of atrial fibrillation (AF) development post-isolated CABG.
• This score serves as a valuable new tool for stratifying AF risk in cardiac surgery patients.