Predictive Value of Right Atrial Strain in Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation in Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery

The incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) after cardiac surgery is around 30%. POAF increases the risk of developing permanent atrial fibrillation and raises the risk of cardiac decompensation, stroke, acute myocardial infarction, and death. While the role of the left atrium (LAF) in the pathophysiology of POAF is now well-established, the part of the right atrium (RA) remains poorly understood. Recent studies suggest a correlation between RA function and POAF. RA function can be assessed by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) with dedicated software for measuring the RA strain (RAS). RA function is thus divided into three phases: reservoir (RASr), conduit, and contraction. Numerous studies have demonstrated that a significant alteration in RAS predicts POAF in various clinical contexts. Therefore, it is essential to investigate whether alterations in RA function assessed by 2D-STE (RAS) are associated with an increased occurrence of FAPO after cardiac surgery. It is essential to investigate whether alterations in RA function assessed by 2D-STE (RAS) are associated with an increased occurrence of FAPO after cardiac surgery.