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Anne M. Gillis, Margaret Morck, Derek V. Exner, Andrea Soo, M. Sarah Rose, Robert S. Sheldon, Henry J. Duff, Katherine M. Kavanagh, L. Brent Mitchell, D. George Wyse, Beneficial effects of statin therapy for prevention of atrial fibrillation following DDDR pacemaker implantation, European Heart Journal, Volume 29, Issue 15, August 2008, Pages 1873–1880, https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehn192
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Abstract
Data suggest that atrial pacing, statins, angiotensin-converting enzyme-inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blocking drugs prevent atrial tachycardia/atrial fibrillation (AT/AF) in some patients. The clinical predictors of AT/AF recurrence following dual-chamber pacemaker insertion were examined in 185 consecutive patients with paroxysmal AF.
Predictors of AT/AF recurrence were evaluated in this observational cohort study. The time to first AT/AF recurrence and AT/AF burden (h/day) was retrieved at each follow-up visit by interrogating the pacemaker. AT/AF recurred following pacemaker implantation in 157 (85%) patients. At 1 year of follow-up, patients without recurrence were more likely to be on statin therapy (54%) when compared with patients without statin therapy (25%, χ = 12.31, P = 0.0004). Statin therapy was the only significant predictor of AT/AF recurrence in a multivariate logistic regression model (adjusted odds ratio 0.33, 95% confidence interval 0.14–0.74, P = 0.007). AT/AF burden was significantly lower in the group on statin therapy (median 0.10 h/day) when compared with the group not on statin therapy (median 0.39 h/day, P = 0.0059).
AT/AF recurs frequently following pacemaker implantation in patients with sinus node disease. The progression to permanent AF remains low over time. Statin therapy was significantly associated with AT/AF suppression.