# Increased IL-12p70 Levels in Intraoperative Pericardial Fluid Are Predictive of Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation Onset after Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery

## TL;DR

High levels of IL-12p70 in heart surgery fluid predict postoperative atrial fibrillation, a common complication after coronary artery bypass surgery.

## Contribution

Identified IL-12p70 in pericardial fluid as a novel predictive biomarker for postoperative atrial fibrillation after CABG.

## Key findings

- Patients with POAF had significantly higher IL-12p70 levels in pericardial fluid compared to those with normal rhythms.
- IL-12p70 was an independent risk factor for POAF with a predictive cut-off of 116.435 pg/mL.
- The biomarker showed strong predictive power with an area under the curve of 0.816.

## Abstract

Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) is a frequent
complication of heart surgery, prolonging hospital stays, as well as increasing
morbidity and mortality rates. While previous studies have investigated the
determinants influencing atrial fibrillation (AF) following heart surgery, the
specific risk factors contributing to POAF occurrence after coronary artery
bypass graft surgery (CABG) are not well understood. Here we used the human
magnetic Luminex assay to assess whether biomarkers, particularly cytokines,
within intraoperative pericardial fluid could serve as predictive markers for
POAF onset among CABG individuals.

In this study we identified 180 patients who underwent CABG
with no atrial arrhythmia history. The human magnetic Luminex assay was used to
quantify the levels of 36 cytokines in pericardial fluid samples collected during
the surgery. The occurrence of POAF was continuously monitored, using both
postoperative electrocardiograms and telemetry strips, until the time of
discharge.

In our cohort of 124 patients, POAF was observed in 30
patients, accounting for 24.19% of the study population. These patients
exhibited significantly higher levels of interleukin (IL)-12p70 in their
intraoperative pericardial fluids compared to those with normal sinus rhythms
(SR, p
< 0.001). Subsequently, IL-12p70 was found to be an independent
risk factor for POAF, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis
established a cut-off threshold for predicting POAF onset of 116.435 pg/mL, based
on the maximum Youden index (area under the curve: 0.816).

this study establishes a significant association between
elevated IL-12p70 levels in intraoperative pericardial fluid and the risk of
POAF, particularly when IL-12p70 concentrations exceed the identified cut-off
value of 116.435 pg/mL. These findings suggest that IL-12p70 levels could
potentially be utilized as a predictive biomarker for the onset of POAF in
patients undergoing CABG. This marker may aid in the early identification and
management of patients at heightened risk for this complication.