Abstract
IntroductionAssessing the prevalence of, and predictors for, pathologically-confirmed inflammation of the aorta in Denmark, using a nationwide population-based study design.MethodsWe identified all adults with first-time surgery on the ascending aorta between January 1, 1997 and March 1, 2009 in Denmark. Presence of aortic inflammation was ascertained through linkage to a nationwide pathology registry. We used logistic regression to compute prevalence odds ratios (ORs) for sex, age at surgery, cardiovascular risk factors, cancer, connective tissue disease, and infectious diseases associated with the presence of aortitis.ResultsA total of 1,210 adults underwent resection of the ascending aorta, of who 610 (50.4%) had tissue submitted for pathological examination. Aortitis was found in 37 (6.1%) patients whose tissue was examined. Ten of the 37 patients were diagnosed with conditions known to be associated with aortitis or aortic aneurysm: five patients with temporal arteritis, one with Crohn's disease, one with rheumatoid arthritis, one with systemic lupus erythematosus, one with infectious aortitis, and one with Marfan's disease. Twenty-seven patients had idiopathic aortitis. Predictors of aortitis included history of connective tissue disease (adjusted OR 4.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.6, 13.6), diabetes (OR 5.2, 95% CI 0.9, 29.7), advanced age (> 67 years OR 2.5, 95% CI 0.8, 7.6), and aortic valve pathology (OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.1, 4.9).ConclusionsAortitis was present in 6.1% of adults in Denmark who had pathological examination after resection of the ascending aorta. Predictors of inflammation included connective tissue disease, diabetes, advanced age, and aortic valve pathology.
Highlights
IntroductionPredictors for, pathologically-confirmed inflammation of the aorta in Denmark, using a nationwide population-based study design
Assessing the prevalence of, and predictors for, pathologically-confirmed inflammation of the aorta in Denmark, using a nationwide population-based study design
A recent study focused on classical cardiovascular risk factors, but the pathophysiology of aortitis remains unclear and malignancies, infectious diseases, and other diseases could be associated with aortitis [21,22,23,24,25,26,27]
Summary
Predictors for, pathologically-confirmed inflammation of the aorta in Denmark, using a nationwide population-based study design. Numerous medical conditions have been associated with a risk of aortitis, but data from a large population-based study of aortitis risk factors are lacking. Inflammatory diseases should be reported diagnoses were idiopathic aortitis and aortitis associated with temporal arteritis [16]. Potential life-threatening complications such as aortic aneurysm and dissection and the need for disease-specific treatment [17]make aortitis important to diagnose. A recent study focused on classical cardiovascular risk factors, but the pathophysiology of aortitis remains unclear and malignancies, infectious diseases, and other diseases could be associated with aortitis [21,22,23,24,25,26,27].
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