Incidence Of Acute Aortic Dissection Research Articles

Impact of meteorological conditions on the incidence of acute aortic dissection.

There is still much controversy about whether meteorological conditions influence the occurrence of acute aortic dissection (AAD). The aim of the present study was to investigate the possible correlation between atmospheric pressure, temperature, lunar cycle and the event of aortic dissection in our patient population. The clinical data for 348 patients with AAD (73% type Stanford A) were confronted with the meteorological data provided by the Cologne weather station over the same period. There were no statistically significant differences between meteorological parameters on days of AAD events compared with control days. A logistic regression model showed that air pressure (odds ratio [OR] 1.004, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.991-1.017, p = 0.542), air temperature (OR 0.978, 95% CI 0.949-1.008, p = 0.145), season ( p = 0.918) and month of the event ( p = 0.175) as well as presence of full moon (OR 1.579, 95% CI 0.763-3.270, p = 0.219) were not able to predict AAD events. Also, no predictive power of meteorological data and season was found on analysing their impact on different types of AAD events. Our study did not reveal any dependence of atmospheric pressure, air temperature or the presence of full moon on the incidence of different types of AAD.

The effect of meteorological conditions and air pollution on the occurrence of type A and B acute aortic dissections.

To explore the association of weather conditions and air pollutants with incidence risk of acute aortic dissection (AAD), we included patients who consecutively admitted to the emergency units of our hospital for AAD between Dec. 1, 2013, and Apr. 30, 2017. Their medical records were reviewed. The meteorological data (daily precipitation, minimal and maximal temperatures, mean atmospheric pressure, relative humidity) and air pollutants values [air daily index (AQI), aerodynamic diameter of 2.5mm or less (PM2.5), aerodynamic diameter of 10mm or less (PM10), ozone, nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and ozone (O3_8h)] over the same period were provided by the Chengdu Meteorological Bureau. Finally, a total of 345 patients were admitted with AAD. The results showed that the incidence of AAD was higher in winter than in summer (p < 0.001). Statistical analysis highlighted lower the atmospheric temperature, higher the incidence of AAD (p < 0.001). A significant correlation was found between air pollutants and AAD onset. AQI, PM2.5, SO2, and NO2 were independent predictors of incidence of AAD (OR = 1.006, p = 0.007; OR = 1.020, p < 0.001; OR = 1.037, p < 0.001; and OR = 0.925, p < 0.001; respectively). While, PM10, CO, and O3_8H had a neutral effect on risk of AAD onset. In conclusions, cold atmospheric temperature and larger daily temperature change were correlated with a higher incidence of AAD. AQI, PM2.5, and SO2 played important roles in triggering acute aortic events.

Impact of meteorological conditions and PM2.5 on the onset of acute aortic dissection in monsoonal climate.

ObjectiveTo investigate the impact of meteorological conditions and PM2.5 on the onset of acute aortic dissection in monsoonal climate.MethodsA linear regression analysis was performed in monsoonal climate epidemiological survey for a period of four years on the impact of meteorological factors (minimal temperature, mean temperature, maximal temperature, average daily surface temperature, day temperature range, relative humidity, mean wind speed, and atmospheric pressure) and PM2.5 concentration on the daily incidences of acute aortic dissections. Meteorological variables and PM2.5 concentration were retrieved on a daily basis from Beijing Regional Climate Center and the Ministry of Environmental Protection of the People's Republic of China's website, and the daily incidences of acute aortic dissections were retrieved from the Clinical Data Analysis and Reporting System in the Emergency and Critical Care Center of Beijing Anzhen Hospital.ResultsDuring the study period (from January 2011 to December 2014), 1164 patients were identified as having acute aortic dissections. The corresponding incidences in spring and autumn were 0.96 and 1.00, respectively, which significantly higher than that in summer and winter. The incidences of acute aortic dissection in a day could be predicted by diurnal temperature range (DTR) using the following linear multiple regression models: incidences of acute aortic dissection = 0.543 + 0.025 × DTR.ConclusionThis is the first study to show an attributable effect of DTR on acute aortic events in monsoonal climate. Our study confirms that meteorological variables were important factors influencing the incidence of acute aortic dissection.

Diagnostic implication of fibrin degradation products and D-dimer in aortic dissection-author's reply.

Acute aortic dissection (AAD) is a life-threatening disease requiring an early diagnosis and rapid treatment to prevent death. The annual incidence of AAD was about three cases per 100,000, with a high mortality rate of 24.4% for type A and 10.7% for type B without urgent treatment (1). About 20% AAD patients were with non-specific symptoms, and up to 40% of patients were undiagnosed until necropsy (2). Given the atypical presentations and time dependent mortality, sensitive and quicker predictive diagnosis methods are paramount to take rst-aids measures.

Meta-Analysis of Circadian Variation in the Onset of Acute Aortic Dissection

Circadian variation in the onset of acute aortic dissection (AAD) has been less investigated than other cardiovascular diseases. We performed a meta-analysis to assess the presence of an circadian rhythmic variability of AAD onset. Eligible studies were observational studies enrolling patients with AAD and reporting a circadian variation in AAD. Study-specific estimates, that is, 2-hour incidence of AAD, were combined using the random-effects model. Chronobiological analysis (analysis of circadian rhythmicity) was performed by applying a partial Fourier series to the pooled 2-hour incidence using the weighted least-squares method. We identified 7 eligible studies enrolling a total of 1,827 patients with AAD. Pooled 2-hour period incidence of AAD was 3.4% in 0:00 to 2:00, 4.8% in 2:00 to 4:00, 5.4% in 4:00 to 6:00, 9.6% in 6:00 to 8:00, 13.8% in 8:00 to 10:00, 11.1% in 10:00 to 12:00, 8.1% in 12:00 to 14:00, 8.9% in 14:00 to 16:00, 8.8% in 16:00 to 18:00, 7.0% in 18:00 to 20:00, 8.1% in 20:00 to 22:00), and 5.5% in 22:00 to 24:00. Chronobiological analysis (nonlinear Fourier rhythm analysis) identified a significant (p = 0.0082) circadian pattern in the occurrence of AAD with a peak in 8:00 to 10:00 and a nadir in 0:00 to 2:00. Pooled analysis demonstrated significantly more incidence in 8:00 to 10:00 than in 0:00 to 2:00 (risk ratio 3.59, 95% confidence interval 2.19 to 5.90, p<0.00001). The incidence of AAD was 8.8%, 15.5%, 25.0%, 17.7%, 16.1%, and 13.8% in 0:00 to 4:00, 4:00 to 8:00, 8:00 to 12:00, 12:00 to 16:00, 16:00 to 20:00, and 20:00 to 24:00, respectively. A significant circadian pattern was found in the occurrence of AAD with a peak in 8:00 to 10:00 and a nadir in 0:00 to 2:00.

Insight into the incidence of acute aortic dissection in the German region of Berlin and Brandenburg

BackgroundStanford acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) is a potentially lethal condition. Epidemiology studies show a statistical incidence in Europe of approximately 2–16 cases/100,000 inhabitants/year. In Germany, the estimated incidence (here subsumed under “thoracic aortic dissection” with 4.63 cases/100,000 inhabitants/year) is mainly extracted from medical death certificates by the German Federal Statistical Office. The prehospital incidence of ATAAD deaths is largely unknown. Since patients often die in the pre-hospital setting, the incidence of ATAAD is therefore likely to be higher than current estimates. Material and methodsFor the period from 2010 to 2014, we retrospectively analyzed all in-hospital ATAAD data from two of the largest cardiac surgical centers that treat ATAAD in the Berlin-Brandenburg region. In addition, autopsy reports of all forensic medicine institutes and of one large pathological provider in the region were analyzed to identify additional non-hospitalized ATAAD patients. Based on these findings, the regional incidence of ATAAD was calculated. ResultsIn addition to in-hospital ATAAD patients (n=405), we identified additional 145 lethal ATAAD cases among 14,201 autopsy reports. The total of 550 ATAAD cases led to an estimated incidence of 11.9 cases/100,000 inhabitants/year for the whole Berlin-Brandenburg region. Arterial hypertension, pre-existing aortic dilatation, and hereditary connective tissue disorder were found in, respectively, 62.7%, 10%, and 1.8% of patients. ConclusionATAAD is more frequent than previously reported. Our results show that when patients who die outside of cardiac surgery centers are included, the incidence of ATAAD significantly exceeds the rate reported by the Federal Statistical Office.

Analysis of the onset time of acute aortic dissection and the influence of climate on acute aortic dissection occurrence in Urumqi city: a retrospective study of a single center

To observe the time characteristics of acute aortic dissection (AAD) in Urumqi and its peripheral areas in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, and to explore the effect of meteorological conditions on the onset of AAD. Retrospective analysis of the related data of the adult AAD patients diagnosed by imaging examination, and admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University from March 2010 to July 2016 was performed. The onset time, the contemporaneous meteorological data, including daily minimum, average, and the highest temperature, daily average air pressure, daily average relative humidity, daily precipitation, daily average wind speed, daily maximum wind speed, and sunshine duration per day were collected. Analysis of concentrated distribution trend of the AAD onset was done by circular distribution statistics. Meteorological conditions were compared between "the AAD day" and "no AAD day". The changes of air temperature 5 days before onset were observed. A total of 379 patients were enrolled, with 307 male and 72 female. The ratio of male to female was 4.19: 1, the average age was 52.27±12.18; and the underlying diseases was hypertension (about 58.05%); the incidence sites were Urumqi and Changji city. (1) The incidence of AAD in Urumqi and its peripheral areas had clear concentrated trend, and the peak period of AAD corresponded to January 1st to 2nd (homogeneity test r = 0.104, r 0.05 = 0.009, P < 0.05). (2) The minimum, mean and maximal atmospheric temperatures on "the AAD day" were lower than "no AAD day" [centigrade: 4.10 (-9.55, 14.60) vs. 7.75 (-6.70, 16.20), 14.10 (-1.50, 25.00) vs. 17.50 (0.60, 26.78), 8.50 (-6.22, 19.45) vs. 12.10 (-3.60, 20.90), all P < 0.05], sunshine duration was significantly shorter than "no AAD day" [hours: 8.50 (4.60, 10.70) vs. 8.90 (5.50, 11.50), P < 0.01], and atmospheric pressure were higher than "no AAD day" [kPa: 91.24 (90.66, 91.75) vs. 91.12 (90.62, 91.61), 19.11 (18.99, 19.22) vs. 19.09 (18.98, 19.19), both P < 0.05]; there were no significant differences in the incidence of daytime temperature difference, average relative humidity, precipitation, average wind speed, and maximum wind speed between the two groups. (3) the peak period of AAD occurrence was December (38 cases), which was followed by January (36 cases); and there were 26 cases of each month in May, June, July, and September, which were lower than the rest of months. It was shown by the temperature distribution that the minimum average temperature was in January (-12.46 centigrade), followed by December (-9.03 centigrade); the maximum average temperature was in July [(24.59±3.21)centigrade], followed by August [(23.14±3.64)centigrade]. (4) The patients was sorted according to the quartile of daily mean temperature, into < -5.2 centigrade, -5.2-10.7 centigrade, 10.7-20.4 centigrade, and > 20.4 centigrade groups, and each group had 104, 99, 98, 78 cases of AAD, respectively. The number of AAD in lowest temperature group was 1.33 times of the highest temperature group. In the 45-59 and 60-74 years, the number of AAD in lowest temperature group was higher than that in the highest temperature group (50 vs. 36, 26 vs. 13). In patients with hypertension, the number of AAD in lowest temperature group was higher than that in the highest temperature group (60 vs. 44). (5) The maximum air temperature, mean air temperature of the day from 5 days before to the onset day of AAD, and the lowest temperature from 3 days before to the onset day of AAD display slowly decrease trends, but there was no significant difference in daily temperature. The incidence of AAD in Urumqi and its peripheral areas was concentrated from January 1st to 2nd of each year. When the temperature was lower than -5.2 centigrade, AAD were more likely to attack. The 5 days changes of temperature and daily temperature before the attack were relevant with onset of AAD. It was speculated that the weather conditions such as air temperature may affect patient who has a past history of cardiovascular disease to attack AAD.

Higher Incidence of Acute Aortic Dissections in Winter Months- Results of the German Registry for Acute Aortic Dissection Type A

Background: Most cardiovascular events have their peak during the cold winter months. Especially for myocardial infarctions the accumulation is already well described. Several studies have investigated the incidence of acute aortic dissections (AAD) but a seasonal increase of AADs could not be shown yet due to the limited power of these studies. Therefore, we investigated the German Registry for Acute Aortic Dissection Type A (GERAADA) data for seasonal accumulations. Methods: All 2137 patients who have been registered in GERAADA from 7/2006 to 6/2010, which is a prospective, multi-centre registry of the German Society of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, have been analysed. The incidences per year, quarter, season and month were investigated considering covariates such as age, gender and etiology using poisson regression. Results: The distribution of the incidences differed significantly between the quarters. More patients were treated in quarters IV and I (p=0.002). In the months October-February there were more cases than in the rest of the year (p=0.017). Although age, gender, the underlying disease (p<0.001) as well as arterial hypertension had an impact on the incidence of AADs (p=0.005), the distribution on the quarters was not influenced by these variables (Poisson regression p>0.5). Conclusions: Our data show that there is a peak of surgically treated AADs within German speaking Europe during winter months independent from patient related factors and the aetiology of the AAD.

Higher Incidence of Acute Aortic Dissections in Winter Months: Results of the German Registry for Acute Aortic Dissection Type A (GERAADA)

Objectives: Cardiovascular (CV) events are associated with meteorological conditions and thus with circadian seasonal rhythm. In the winter months for example there are significantly more myocardial infarctions. Low atmospheric pressure as another example is associated with an increase of the incidence of abdominal aortic aneurysm ruptures. Data regarding acute aortic dissections (AAD) are contradictory: due to the limited cases treated per center data are inconclusive. In the current study we aim to explore the association between chronobiological rhythms and the incidence of AADs using a nationwide register. Methods: The German Registry for Acute Aortic Dissection Type A (GERAADA) is a prospective, multi-center registry of the German Society of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. 50 centers in German speaking countries in Europe have enrolled patients till July 2010. N = 2137 patients were registered in GERAADA. Baseline characteristics, diagnostics, surgical information and postoperative course including a 30-day survival were collected. All data analyses and statistical calculations were performed in collaboration with the Institute for Medical Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics in Mainz, Germany. The registry and all consecutive studies were approved by a central ethics committee (No.7293; Landesarztekammer Rheinland-Pflanz, Mainz, Germany). Results: All 2137 patients enrolled in GERAADA were analyzed. Over the years 97 to 169 operations per quarter were performed over the years. The distribution of the incidences was not independent of quarters (p 0.5) Conclusions: Our data suggest that there is a peak of surgically treated AADs within German speaking Europe during winter months.

Ursodeoxycholic Acid Attenuates Acute Aortic Dissection Formation in Angiotensin II-Infused Apolipoprotein E-Deficient Mice Associated with Reduced ROS and Increased Nrf2 Levels

Background/Aims: Acute aortic dissection (AAD) is characterized by excessive smooth muscle cell (SMC) loss, extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation and inflammation. In response to certain stimulations, oxidative stress is activated and regulates apoptosis and inflammation. Excessive apoptosis promotes aortic inflammation and degeneration, leading to AAD formation. This study aimed to clarify role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of AAD and whether the antioxidant ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) attenuates AAD formation. Methods: Angiotensin II (Ang II) was infused in 8-months male ApoE^-/- mice for one week to establish a model of AAD. UDCA (10 mg/kg/day) was administered via intragastric gavage for 3 consecutive days before AngII infusion and also during the AngII infusion for another consecutive 7 days. Results: Ang II-infusion resulted in the incidence of AAD at a rate of 35% (13/37) and UDCA markedly reduced the incidence of AAD to 16% (6/37), accompanied with reduced maximal aortic diameter measured at the suprarenal region of the abdominal aorta. Additionally, UDCA pretreatment prevented Ang II induced generations of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and apoptosis of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) both in vivo and in. vitro Mechanistically, we found UDCA markedly increased Nrf2 expression in VSMCs and prevented Ang II induced expression of NADPH subunits (p47, p67 and gp91) in Nrf2-dependent manner and rescued the activity of redox enzymes (Cu/Zn-SOD, Mn-SOD and CAT), thereby inhibiting apoptosis of VSMCs. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that UDCA prevented AAD formation by reducing apoptosis of VSMCs caused by oxidative stress in Nrf2 dependent manner and suggest that UDCA might have clinical potential to suppress AAD formation.

Meteorological Impact on the Incidence of Acute Aortic Dissection

Meteorological Impact on the Incidence of Acute Aortic Dissection

Incidence and in-hospital mortality of acute aortic dissection in China: analysis of China Health Insurance Research (CHIRA) Data 2011.

ObjectiveAcute aortic dissection (AAD) is a catastrophic event with high early mortality rate, but to date, no data on the incidence of AAD in Mainland China is available. This study aimed to estimate the incidence of AAD in China and characterize the clinical profile, management and in-hospital outcomes of this vascular event.MethodsWe used the China Health Insurance Research Data (the CHIRA Data) 2011 which comprises all inpatient hospital records (300,886) during the period of Jan. 1st 2011 to Dec. 31 2011 of 3,335,000 randomly sampled beneficiaries (1,718,500 men and 1,616,500 women) from 25 cities and counties in different economic-geographic regions of Mainland China. Patients with acute aortic dissection were identified according to International Classification of Disease 10th Revision (ICD-10) of I71.0. The estimated incidence of AAD was calculated using the equation: estimated incidence = 2.0 × (40% × hospital admission rate) + 60% × hospital admission rate.ResultsThe hospital admission rate was 2.0/100,000 (65/3,325,000, 95% CI: 1.2–2.8). The estimated annual incidence of AAD was 2.8/100,000 (95% CI: 1.9–3.6) and was higher in male than in female (3.7 vs. 1.5, P < 0.001). The mean age was 58.9 ± 13.4 years. During the mean hospital stay of 23 ± 6 days, the overall in-hospital mortality was 13.9% (9/65).ConclusionsOur study showed relatively lower but not negligible incidence and in-hospital mortality of AAD in the mainland of China. The mean age of patients with AAD in Chinese was younger than that reported by researches from west countries, while the male to female incidence ratio is similar to those reported by other studies.

Epidemiology and Medication Utilization Pattern of Aortic Dissection in Taiwan: A Population-Based Study.

Acute aortic dissection (AD) is a catastrophic condition associated with a high rate of mortality. However, current epidemiological information regarding AD remains sparse. The objective of the present study was to investigate the current epidemiological profile and medication utilization patterns associated with aortic dissection in Taiwan.In this population-based study, we identified cases of AD diagnosed during 2005 to 2012 in the complete Taiwan National Health Insurance (NHI) Research Database. Patients with AD were identified using the International Classification of Disease, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) code 441.0, and surgical interventions were defined using NHI procedure codes.A total of 9092 individuals with a mean age of 64.4 ± 15.1 years were identified. The cases were divided into 3 groups: Group A included 2340 patients (25.74%) treated surgically for type A AD; Group B included 1144 patients (12.58%) treated surgically for type B AD, and Group C included 5608 patients (61.68%) with any type of AD treated with medical therapy only. The average annual incidence of AD was 5.6 per 100,000 persons, and the average prevalence was 19.9 per 100,000 persons. Hypertension was the most common risk factor, followed by coronary artery disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Within 1 year of AD diagnosis, 92% of patients were taking antihypertensive medication. Calcium channel blockers were the most frequently prescribed antihypertensive medication for long-term observation in Taiwan.The annual trends revealed statistically significant increases in the numbers and percentages of prevalence, incidence, and mortality. Changes in patients’ drug utilization in patterns were observed after AD diagnosis. Our study provides a local profile that supports further in-depth analyses in AD-affected populations.

Diagnostic performance of the aortic dissection detection risk score in patients with suspected acute aortic dissection

The aortic dissection detection (ADD) risk score has been proposed by guidelines to standardise the approach to patients with suspected acute aortic dissection (AD). However, the ADD risk score has not been validated so far. Patients with suspected AD from two clinical centres were prospectively enrolled in a registry from 2008 to 2012. The ADD risk score was calculated retrospectively by review of medical charts, according to the number of risk categories where patients met criteria. Of 1328 patients, 291 (21.9%) were diagnosed with AD. The ADD risk score was=0 in 439 (33.1%) patients, =1 in 646 (48.6%) patients and >1 in 243 (18.3%) patients. The incidence of AD was 5.9%, 27.3% and 39.1% respectively in patient groups identified by ADD risk score=0, =1 and >1. ADD risk score>0 had a sensitivity of 91.1% (95% confidence interval (CI) 87.2-94.1%) and a specificity of 39.8% (95% CI 36.8-42.9%) for the diagnosis of AD, while ADD risk score>1 had a sensitivity of 32.7% (95% CI 27.3-38.4%) and a specificity of 85.7% (95% CI 83.5-87.8%). Among patients with ADD risk score=0, mediastinum widening on chest X-ray had a sensitivity of 16.7% (95% CI 3.6-41.4%) and a specificity of 86.3% (95% CI 81.9-90.0%). The ADD risk score stratifies patients for the risk of AD. ADD risk score>0 is highly sensitive and poorly specific for the diagnosis in AD. The presence of ADD risk score=0 per se does not accurately exclude AD. In patients with ADD risk score=0, chest X-ray provides limited diagnostic information.

Acute Aortic Dissection in a Patient Receiving Gemcitabine and Cisplatin

Acute aortic dissection is often a fatal condition with in-hospital mortality rates of 27%. The incidence of acute aortic dissection is low at around 3 cases per 100,000 person-years. There is a strong relationship between hypertension and aortic dissection. 72% of patients in the International Registry of Acute Aortic Dissection had a history of hypertension. The inciting event is an intimal tear extending into the media with resultant dissection of blood along the laminar planes of the media. Cisplatin, a commonly used platinum-based chemotherapy drug, is associated with the development of hypertension on long-term follow up studies. This knowledge should prompt clinicians to screen for the development of hypertension and to be aware of its potential complications in patients treated with cisplatin-containing chemotherapy. Despite the known vascular complications of chemotherapy, there is a paucity of data on the association of aortic dissection with active cancer or chemotherapy. We present an unusual case of an extensive, acute aortic dissection in a relatively young male patient receiving gemcitabine and cisplatin for advanced metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Population-Based Study of Incidence and Outcome of Acute Aortic Dissection and Premorbid Risk Factor Control: 10-Year Results From the Oxford Vascular Study

Hospital-based registries likely underestimate not only the incidence of acute aortic dissection but also its association with premorbid hypertension. The most significant treatable condition leading to acute aortic dissection remains uncontrolled hypertension.

Hospital Patients Based Incidence of Acute Aortic Dissection

Hospital Patients Based Incidence of Acute Aortic Dissection

Neutrophil-Derived Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 Triggers Acute Aortic Dissection

Acute aortic dissection (AAD) is a life-threatening vascular disease without effective pharmaceutical therapy. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are implicated in the development of chronic vascular diseases including aneurysm, but the key effectors and mechanism of action remain unknown. To define further the role of MMPs in AAD, we screened circulating MMPs in AAD patients, and then generated a novel mouse model for AAD to characterize the mechanism of action. MMP9 and angiotensin II were elevated significantly in blood samples from AAD patients than in those from the patients with nonruptured chronic aortic aneurysm or healthy volunteers. Based on the findings, we established a novel AAD model by infusing angiotensin II to immature mice that had been received a lysyl oxidase inhibitor, β-aminopropionitrile monofumarate. AAD was developed successfully in the thoracic aorta by angiotensin II administration to β-aminopropionitrile monofumarate-treated wild-type mice, with an incidence of 20%, 80%, and 100% after 6, 12, and 24 hours, respectively. Neutrophil infiltrations were observed in the intima of the thoracic aorta, and the overexpression of MMP9 in the aorta was demonstrated by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, gelatin zymography, and immunohistochemistry. The incidence of AAD was reduced significantly by 40% following the administration of an MMP inhibitor and was almost blocked completely in MMP(-/-) mice without any influence on neutrophil infiltration. Neutrophil depletion by injection of anti-granulocyte-differentiation antigen-1 (anti-Gr-1) antibody also significantly decreased the incidence of AAD. These data suggest that AAD is initiated by neutrophils that have infiltrated the aortic intima and released MMP9 in response to angiotensin II.

Acute aortic dissection: Epidemiology and outcomes

BackgroundLittle epidemiological information on acute aortic dissection (AAD) is available in the literature. The objective of the present study was to determine the incidence and mortality rates of AAD in the general population and to analyze its clinical features. MethodsData from the Emilia-Romagna regional database of hospital admissions was analyzed. Urgent admissions with the diagnosis of dissection of the aorta, dissection of the thoracic aorta and dissection of the thoracoabdominal aorta were selected. ResultsBetween January 2000 and December 2008, 1499 Emilia-Romagna residents were hospitalized with a diagnosis of AAD. The patients were divided into three groups: Group A, 617 patients (41.2%) surgically treated for type A AAD; Group B, 93 complicated patients (6.2%) with type B AAD treated by endovascular stent-grafting and Group C, 789 patients (52.6%) suffering from any type of AAD medically treated. The overall annual incidence rate was 4.7%/100,000 people and was higher for men than for women (6.7% vs 2.9%).Two hundred ninety-six patients (19.8%) were 80years of age or older.The overall in-hospital mortality rate was 27.7%, with mortality rates of 21.1%, 26.9% and 33% in Groups A, B and C, respectively. ConclusionThe incidence of AAD is not negligible and a notable rate of patients is ultra-octogenarian. A large number of patients with AAD had no surgery or interventional treatment. The results of surgical treatment for patients with type A dissection are acceptable but the results obtained in patients with complicated type B dissection who were treated with an endoprosthesis are dismal.

Acute aortic syndromes: an assessment

The term "acute aortic syndrome" describes a range of severe, painful, potentially life-threatening abnormalities of the aorta. This review discusses the pathophysiology and risk factors, classification schemes, epidemiology, clinical presentations, diagnostic modalities, management options, and outcomes of various aortic conditions, including acute aortic dissection (AD) and its variants intramural hematoma and penetrating atherosclerotic ulcer. The common denominator of acute aortic syndromes is disruption of the media layer of the aorta, with bleeding within the layers (intramural hematoma), along the aortic media resulting in separation of the layers (AD), or transmurally through the wall in the case of ruptured penetrating atherosclerotic ulcer or trauma. The incidence of AD ranges from 2 to 3.5 cases per 100 000 person-years; hypertension and a variety of genetic disorders with altered connective tissues are the most prevalent risk conditions. Recent advances in imaging techniques have helped in understanding the natural history and dynamics of this condition. Prognosis is clearly related to undelayed diagnosis and appropriate surgical repair in case of proximal involvement of the aorta; the advent of endovascular treatment has opened new perspectives in the management of acute aortic syndromes affecting the descending aorta, since this can modify its natural history and improve prognosis.