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To the Editor: Atrial tachyarrhythmia is a common complication following cardiac surgery and is associated with significant morbidity and increased costs.¹ The study by Dr Mitchell and colleagues² reports a reduced risk for atrial tachyarrhythmias after cardiac surgery with the use of prophylactic amiodarone therapy. Randomization was stratified for subgroups defined by age, type of surgery, and use of preoperative -blockers.

The article does not provide data on body weight for the patients studied. However, obesity is becoming a global epidemic and is recognized as an important risk factor for atrial fibrillation.³ The risk of postoperative atrial fibrillation, the more common observed postsurgical atrial tachyarrhythmia, has been significantly associated with higher body mass index independently from a broad range of clinical, surgical, and demographic factors known to influence atrial fibrillation risk.⁴ It would therefore be valuable for the authors to stratify their results by different body mass index levels.

Financial . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Miguel A. Arias, MD, PhD
maapalomares@secardiologia.es
Arrhythmia Unit
Department of Cardiology
Complejo Hospitalario de Jaén
Jaén, Spain

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