European journal of cardio-thoracic surgery : official journal of the European Association for Cardio-thoracic Surgery
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Oct 2003
Free triiodothyronine: a novel predictor of postoperative atrial fibrillation.
Despite improved perioperative management, atrial fibrillation (AF) after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) remains a relevant clinical problem, whose pathogenetic mechanisms remain incompletely explained. A reduced incidence of postoperative AF has been described in CABG patients receiving IV tri-iodothyronine (T3). This study was designed to define the role of thyroid metabolism on the genesis of postoperative AF. ⋯ Low basal fT3 concentration can reliably predict the occurrence of postoperative AF in CABG patients.