• Chao Liu, Jinghui Wang, Daofeng Yiu, and Kunshen Liu.
• The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China; Department of Pharmacology, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China.
• Cardiovasc Ther. 2014 Jun 1;32(3):89-96.

Aimscardiopulmonary bypass and cardiac surgery are associated with a significant systemic inflammatory response that has been suggested playing a causative role in the development of perioperative atrial fibrillation (POAF). The goal of this meta-analysis was to determine the efficacy of glucocorticoid prophylaxis in preventing POAF, or length of intensive care unite (ICU) or hospital stay.MethodsA systematic electronic database literature search of Cochrane controlled trials register (2013, issue 4) and MEDLINE (1966 to April, 2013) was conducted using specific search terms for all relevant articles. Including criteria were: randomized controlled clinical trials, participants were adults (≥18 years of age) undergoing cardiac surgery, evaluated glucocorticoid prophylaxis in cardiac surgery with adequately reported data on incidence of POAF, or length of ICU or hospital stay.ResultsForty-two randomized controlled trials involving 7621 participants were included in the meta-analysis. Overall, glucocorticoids prophylaxis significantly lowered participants' risk of developing POAF (Relative Risk [RR] 0.77; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.66-0.90), P < 0.01), reduced length of ICU stay by 0.25 day (95% CI -0.40 to -0.10, P < 0.01). Glucocorticoid prophylaxis in cardiac surgery was not associated with increased all-cause of infection (RR 0.68; 95% CI 0.58-0.78, P < 0.01) and mortality (RR 0.75; 95% CI 0.52-1.08, P = 0.12).ConclusionsPooled evidence suggests that glucocorticoid prophylaxis may reduce the incidence of POAF. The beneficial effect on POAF is associated with reduced length of ICU and hospital stay, and infection rate.© 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

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