Effect of Preoperative Oral Magnesium on Postoperative Arrhythmias After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: A Retrospective Study

Objectives: Magnesium plays an essential role in numerous cellular functions, including energy metabolism and enzyme regulation. We evaluated the impact of preoperative oral magnesium supplementation on the development of intraoperative ventricular fibrillation (VF) after aortic cross-clamp removal, postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF), and renal function parameters in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).
Methods: Ninety patients who underwent isolated CABG were included and divided into magnesium and non-magnesium groups. Demographic, perioperative, and postoperative variables were compared. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent predictors of POAF.
Results: The incidence rates of POAF and VF after cross-clamp removal did not differ between the groups. In multivariate analysis, preoperative magnesium supplementation was not an independent predictor of POAF (OR: 1.35, 95% CI: 0.42–4.36, p=0.615), whereas age was an independent risk factor (OR: 1.10, 95% CI: 1.02–1.19, p=0.016). Magnesium supplementation had no significant impact on postoperative urea or creatinine levels.
Conclusion: Preoperative oral magnesium administration did not reduce the incidence of POAF or VF after CABG surgery. Further large-scale, prospective, randomized studies are needed to clarify the potential benefits of magnesium supplementation in this patient population.

Keywords: Atrial fibrillation, CABG, magnesium, ventricular fibrillation