Preoperative P-wave parameters and risk of atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery: a meta-analysis of 20 201 patients.

Objectives: To evaluate the role of P-wave parameters, as defined on preprocedural electrocardiography (ECG), in predicting atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery [postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF)].

Methods: PubMed, Cochrane library and Embase were searched for studies reporting on P-wave parameters and risk of POAF. Meta-analysis of P-wave parameters reported by at least 5 different publications was performed. In case of receiver operator characteristics (ROC-curve) analysis in the original publications, an ROC meta-analysis was performed to summarize the sensitivity and specificity.

Results: Thirty-two publications, with a total of 20 201 patients, contributed to the meta-analysis. Increased P-wave duration, measured on conventional 12-lead ECG (22 studies, Cohen's d = 0.4, 95% confidence interval: 0.3-0.5, P < 0.0001) and signal-averaged ECG (12 studies, Cohen's d = 0.8, 95% confidence interval: 0.5-1.2, P < 0.0001), was a predictor of POAF independently from left atrial size. ROC meta-analysis for signal-averaged ECG P-wave duration showed an overall sensitivity of 72% (95% confidence interval: 65-78%) and specificity of 68% (95% confidence interval: 58-77%). Summary ROC curve had a moderate discriminative power with an area under the curve of 0.76. There was substantial heterogeneity in the meta-analyses for P-wave dispersion and PR-interval.

Conclusions: This meta-analysis shows that increased P-wave duration, measured on conventional 12-lead ECG and signal-averaged ECG, predicted POAF in patients undergoing cardiac surgery.