Table 3.

Overview of studies with important findings regarding the role of acute surgery-induced factors in the mechanism of post-operative atrial fibrillation

Author, year	Acute factor	Species	Main finding
White (1984)	Adrenergic Activation	Human	Prophylactic use of timolol after CABG decreases frequency and severity of supraventricular arrhythmias.
Kalman (1995)	Adrenergic Activation	Human	Significant association between norepinephrine levels and the development of POAF
Bruins (1997)	Inflammation	Human	The second phase of complement activation during CPB involves CRP and is associated with POAF
Frustaci (1997)	Inflammation	Human	Lymphomononuclear infiltrates compatible with atrial myocarditis in atrial tissue of 66% of patients with lone AF
Carnes (2001)	Oxidative stress	Canine/human	Ascorbate attenuates rapid pacing-induced atrial ERP shortening and decreases the incidence of POAF after CABG.
Kumagai (2004)	Inflammation/oxidative stress	Canine	Atorvastatin prevents AF by inhibiting inflammation in the sterile pericarditis model
Shiroshita-Takeshita (2004)	Oxidative Stress/inflammation	Canine	AF promotion by atrial tachycardia is attenuated by simvastatin, but not by antioxidant vitamins.
Ishii (2005)	Inflammation	Canine	Atrial inflammation after cardiac surgery is associated with inhomogeneity of atrial conduction
Workman (2006)	Adrenergic activation	Human	Chronic β-blocker therapy is associated with reduced POAF incidence, unrelated to pre-operative ERP-prolonging
Kim (2008)	Oxidative stress	Human	NADPH oxidase activity in right atrial appendage is the most important independent predictor of POAF.
Fleming (2008)	Adrenergic Activation	Human	Perioperative milrinone use is associated with an increased incidence of POAF
Ozaydin (2008)	Oxidative stress	Human	Treatment with N-acetylcysteine, an antioxidant, decreases the incidence of post-operative AF.
Ho (2009)	Inflammation	Human	Corticosteroid prophylaxis is effective in reducing the risk of atrial fibrillation