Multifocal atrial tachycardia as a prognostic indicator in patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease requiring mechanical ventilation.

The records of 121 patients admitted to the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) of Chang Gung Memorial Hospital with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) requiring mechanical ventilation were reviewed retrospectively. Eighty-seven percent (20/23) of the patients with multifocal atrial tachycardia (MAT) expired during their ICU admission in contrast to 23.5% (23/98) of those without MAT. The only differences between these two groups were incidence of cor pulmonale, and right axis deviation, right bundle branch block, pulmonale P in electrocardiogram. MAT might be considered as a grave prognostic sign in patients with COPD severe enough to require mechanical ventilation.