Compared with nonoperative atrial fibrillation (AF), postoperative AF after noncardiac surgery is associated with a similar risk for stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA), according to a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Konstantinos C. Siontis, MD, and colleagues compared the risks for ischemic stroke or TIA and other outcomes in patients with postoperative AF versus those with incident AF not linked to surgery in a cohort study. Among 4,231 patients with incident AF, 550 (13%) had postoperative AF as their first-ever documented AF presentation. A total of 486 patients had an ischemic stroke or TIA and 2,462 had subsequent AF during a mean follow-up of 6.3 years; there were 2,565 deaths. Those with postoperative AF and nonoperative AF had similar risks for stroke or TIA (absolute risk difference at 5 years, 0.1%). Patients with postoperative AF had a significantly lower risk for subsequent AF (absolute risk difference at 5 years, -13.4%). Patients with postoperative AF and nonoperative AF showed no difference in cardiovascular or all-cause death.
