Table 1 Baseline characteristics of the studies included in the meta-analysis
Study, year | n | Population | Dosage | Duration | Endpoint | Documentation of AF | Quality score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MIRACL 2004 [13] | 3087 | Acute coronary syndrome | 80 mg/d | 16 weeks | New onset or recurrence of AF | Follow-up with ECG | 5 |
Dernellis et al. 2005 [14] | 80 | Paroxysmal AF | 20–40 mg/d | 4–6 months | Recurrence of AF | 48-h ambulatory ECG monitoring | 3 |
Chello et al. 2006 [15] | 40 | Coronary bypass surgery | 20 mg/d | 3 weeks | New-onset AF after cardiac surgery | ECG monitoring | 4 |
Ozaydin et al. 2006 [16] | 48 | Persistent AF and scheduled EC | 10 mg/d | 3 months | Recurrence of AF | 24-h ambulatory ECG monitoring | 2 |
ARMYDA-3 2006 [17] | 200 | Cardiac surgery | 40 mg/d | 30 days | New-onset AF after cardiac surgery | ECG monitoring after the operation, then follow-up with ECG | 5 |
Tsai et al. 2008 [18] | 106 | Bradyarrhythmia and implantation of pacemaker | 20 mg/d | 1 year | AF/AHE ≥ 10 min | Pacemaker interrogation | 2 |
Song et al. 2008 [19] | 124 | Off-pump coronary bypass surgery | 20 mg/d | 30 days | New-onset AF after cardiac surgery | ECG monitoring after the operation, then follow-up with ECG | 3 |
Almroth et al. 2009 [20] | 234 | Persistent AF and scheduled EC | 80 mg/d | 30 days | Recurrence of AF | Follow-up with ECG | 5 |
Melina et al. 2009 [21] | 632 | Coronary bypass surgery | 40 mg/d | Not mentioned | New-onset AF after cardiac surgery | Not mentioned | 2 |
Ji et al. 2009 [22] | 140 | Off-pump coronary bypass surgery | 20 mg/d | 13 days | New-onset AF after cardiac surgery | ECG monitoring or 12-lead ECG | 5 |
Spadaccio et al. 2010 [23] | 50 | Coronary bypass surgery | 20 mg/d | 7 days | New-onset AF after cardiac surgery | ECG monitoring | 4 |
Sun et al. 2011 [24] | 100 | Coronary bypass surgery | 20 mg/d | 14 days | New-onset AF after cardiac surgery | ECG monitoring | 3 |
SToP AF 2011 [25] | 64 | Persistent AF and scheduled EC | 80 mg/d | 12 months | Recurrence of AF | Follow-up with ECG and 24-h ambulatory ECG monitoring | 5 |
SPARCL 2011 [26] | 4731 | Prior stroke or transient ischemic attack | 80 mg/d | 4.8 years | New-onset AF | Follow-up with ECG | 5 |
Demir et al. 2011 [27] | 48 | Persistent AF and scheduled EC | 40 mg/d | 2 months | Recurrence of AF | Weekly follow-up with ECG | 2 |
Baran et al. 2012 [28] | 60 | Coronary bypass surgery | 40 mg/d | 30 days | New-onset AF after cardiac surgery | ECG monitoring after the operation, then follow-up with ECG | 5 |
Suleiman et al. 2012 [29] | 125 | AF undergoing catheter ablation | 80 mg/d | 3 months | Recurrence of AF | Follow-up with ECG and 72-h ambulatory ECG monitoring | 4 |
Jiang et al. 2013 [30] | 101 | AF undergoing catheter ablation | 40 mg/d | 6 months | Recurrence of AF | Not mentioned | 2 |