Atrial Fibrillation in the Perioperative Period of Liver Transplantation: An Integrative Review

Abstract

Objective: To review the development of atrial fibrillation (AF) during the perioperative period (intraoperative and postoperative) in liver transplant recipients. Methods: This integrative review sought to analyze the emergence of AF in the perioperative period of liver transplantation and its associated factors. The following databases were used: PubMed, MEDLINE, SciELO, and Scopus. The descriptors were interchanged using the boolean operator “AND”, with a time restriction of 10 years, in English and Portuguese. Initially, 305 articles were found, of which nine met the proposed objective after analysis. Results: In this review, nine articles were selected, categorized according to the onset of AF concerning liver transplant surgery: three concerning the onset of AF in the intraoperative period and six in the postoperative period. During the intraoperative period, cases of AF had a higher incidence after reperfusion of the liver graft. In addition, the group with AF had a higher incidence of liver failure, a higher model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) scores, higher serum total bilirubin concentrations, and increased international normalized ratio (INR) values. AF in the postoperative period was associated with older patients, higher MELD scores, and renal dysfunction. Hospital stay was prolonged, and the risk of mortality was increased in patients with postoperative AF. Conclusion: The appearance of AF in the perioperative period of liver transplantation suggests a correlation with patients with higher MELD scores, advanced age, and instability during surgery and may indicate a poor prognosis for the patient.