Table 2.

Clinical studies with NAC in atrial fibrillation (AF).

Patient Information	Intervention	Outcome	Ref.
Pts (total 150 M and F, YOA: 35–75) with elective CABG surgery using CPB	NAC i.v. 50 mg/kg for 30 min on days 1 and 2 after surgery	Reduced inflammation and incidence of POAF after CABG	[25]
Pts (231 M and 28 F, YOA: 53–73) with CABG or combined CABG and valve surgery	Carvedilol plus NAC i.v. 50 mg/kg for 1 h before surgery and at the same dose for 48 h after the procedure	Reduced oxidative stress and inflammation which were associated with POAF	[26]
Pts (231 M and 80 F, YOA: 54–72) with CABG or combined CABG and valve surgery	Carvedilol plus NAC i.v. 50 mg/kg/day for 1 h before surgery and at the same dose for 48 h after the procedure	Decreased POAF incidence and duration of hospitalization	[27]
Pts (44 M and 31 F, YOA: 56–76) with AF with CABG or valve surgery, or both	Amiodarone plus NAC i.v. 100 mg/kg 30 min and 25 mg/kg for 48 h	NAC plus amiodarone might facilitate converting POAF to SR, decrease the time to conversion, and lower the requirement of EC	[28]
Pts (91 M and 24 F, YOA: 25–78) with CABG or valve surgery, or both	NAC i.v. 50 mg/kg/day for 1 h before surgery and at the same dose for 48 h after the procedure	Decreased the incidence of postoperative AF	[29]
Pts (180 M and 60 F, YOA: 40–70) with CABG, with or without valve surgery	NAC orally 1200 mg bid starting 48 h before and up to 72 h after surgery	Had no significant effect on the incidence of POAF, in-hospital stay, and postoperative morbidity or mortality	[30]

NAC: N-acetylcysteine; Pts: patients; M: male; F: female; YOA: years of age; mg: milligram; kg: kilogram; h: hour; Ref: references; i.v.: intravenous infusion; AF: atrial fibrillation; CABG: coronary artery bypass graft; CPB: cardiopulmonary bypass; POAF: postoperative AF; SR: sinus rhythm; EC: electrical cardioversion.