Colchicine for Prevention of Postpericardiotomy Syndrome and Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation

The COPPS-2 trial evaluated the efficacy of oral colchicine in reducing a-fib, post-pericardiotomy syndrome, and pericardial/pleural effusion after cardiac surgery in 360 pts randomized to drug or placebo for 1 month postop.  Colchicine reduced the incidence of post-pericardiotomy syndrome (20% vs 30%) but had no important effect on effusions or a-fib.  Adverse events were more common in the Colchicine group (20% vs 12%).