Predictive Value of Uric Acid/Albumin Ratio for Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation Following Isolated Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery

INTRODUCTION: Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) is associated with an increased risk of morbidity and mortality. This study aims to investigate the predictive value of uric acid/albumin ratio (UAR) for POAF following isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). METHODS: This retrospective study screened patients who underwent isolated CABG between June 2017 and January 2024. POAF was diagnosed using standard clinical criteria. UAR was calculated by dividing the uric acid level by the albumin value. RESULTS: This study included a total of 396 patients, who were categorized into two groups: POAF- and POAF+. Among them, 321 patients (mean age: 61.7 ± 10.8 years; 74.7% male) belonged to the POAF- group, while 75 patients (mean age: 71.3 ± 10.04 years; 68.1% male) were in the POAF+ group. While there were no significant differences observed between the groups in terms of sex, those in the POAF+ group were statistically older. The univariate and multivariate regression analyses revealed that age, C-reactive protein, hypertension, serum uric acid level, and UAR are independent risk factors for POAF. In the receiver operating characteristics analysis, the UAR (area under the curve [AUC]: 0.775) was found to be a better indicator compared to uric acid (AUC: 0.649) and serum albumin (AUC: 0.606), with a sensitivity of 70.5% and a specificity of 69.2%. CONCLUSION: UAR was shown to be an independent risk factor for POAF following isolated CABG.