Perioperative low cardiac output: A predictive factor for stroke after lung transplantation

Abstract

Atrial arrhythmias (AA) frequently occur after thoracic surgery, and are usually transient and benign. Strokes are a rare but serious neurological complication after lung transplantation. Although their incidence is now well known, their predictive factors remain uncertain. The objective of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of postoperative AA in a cohort of lung transplanted patients and their relationship with the onset of stroke. In total, 271 consecutive lung transplanted patients between 2005 and 2014 were retrospectively studied and followed during a mean of 3.2 ± 2.4 years. The data collected included clinical features, preoperative assessment, surgical reports and clinical follow-up. All arrhythmias recorded since the transplantation were analyzed. All strokes were collected. Thirty-three percent of patients presented AA in the immediate postoperative period. Fifteen patients (5.5%) presented stroke after transplantation, in 13 cases of ischemic origin. For 80%, stroke occurred within the first 6 months postoperatively. Mean CHA2DS2-VASc score was 1.1. Per- or postoperative low cardiac output was found as the only independent predictive factor of stroke onset [OR 4.6; CI (1.18–17.86); P = 0.027]. Postoperative AA and CHA2DS2-VASc score were not significantly associated with stroke. Postoperative AA did not affect in-house and long-term mortality. AA are frequent after lung transplantation and don’t affect mortality. Neither AA nor CHA2DS2-VASc score are related to the occurrence of stroke. In contrast, a perioperative low cardiac output is an independent predictive factor of stroke after lung transplantation.