Archives IM 5/9 – van der Hooft et al. investigate the theory, based mostly on case reports, that high-dose pulse steroid are associated with in an increased risk of Atrial-fibrillation (AF).
The study was a case-control design, with patient data from the Rotterdam Study. Subjects were categorized as receiving either high dose or low/moderate dose steroids.
The odds ratio for developing new onset AF with 1 month of starting therapy was 6.07 compared to controls, whereas the odds from the low/moderate dose group was not significantly different.
The risk was independent of indication, which is reassuring. However, I wonder whether the use of high-dose steroids indicates a greater severity of disease which may be correlated with a generally increased risk of cardiac complications?
[...] I remember blogging about an article that showed an increase in A-fib with pulse dose steroids in Annals last year. What gives? Well the prior study didnt involve surgery and it was [...]
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