Onset Of Acute Aortic Dissection Research Articles

The association of coagulation indicators with in-hospital acute kidney injury and malignant events of patients with acute aortic dissection: a retrospective cohort study.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a prevalent complication of acute aortic dissection (AAD) and is associated with poor outcomes. The onset of AAD may result in endothelial injury due to the formation of the false lumen, which can activate the coagulation pathway and lead to coagulation dysfunction. It serves as a valuable diagnostic and prognostic marker for AAD, but also plays a role in the pathological mechanisms underlying AKI. We aimed to investigate the potential value of coagulation indicators at admission for assessing in-hospital AKI and malignant events after AAD. We identified patients with AAD admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College from January 2015 to October 2020 and divided them into two groups according to coagulation function. Univariable and multivariable analyses were used to analyze the association between coagulation indicators and AKI and malignant events in patients with AAD. Chi-squared or Fisher exact test and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was conducted to assess the value of coagulation indicators in predicting in-hospital AKI and malignant events. A total of 487 patients were enrolled in this study, including 309 cases with normal coagulation. After the multivariable adjustment, the incidence of in-hospital AKI in the abnormal coagulation group was significantly higher [model 1: 2.061 (1.214-3.501), P=0.007; model 2: 1.833 (1.058-3.177), P=0.031; model 3: 1.836 (1.048-3.216), P=0.034]. The incidence of malignant events was higher in the abnormal prothrombin time (PT) group [model 1: 4.283 (0.983-18.665), P=0.053; model 2: 7.342 (1.467-36.749), P=0.015; model 3: 6.996 (1.377-35.537), P=0.019]. Chi-squared and Fisher exact test showed that PT and abnormal coagulation score (ACS) were statistically different among the AKI groups and malignant event groups. Under ROC analysis, coagulation indicators were helpful to predict AKI (AUC =0.668; P<0.001). Our study confirmed the presence of coagulation dysfunction is associated with an increased risk of AKI and malignant events. It suggested the severity of coagulation dysfunction is positively correlated with the incidence of in-hospital AKI in AAD patients. These results highlight the importance of considering coagulation dysfunction as a potential mechanism underlying AKI and malignant events after AAD.

Use of Anti-Thrombotic Drugs and In-Hospital Mortality in Acute Aortic Dissection Patients.

Acute aortic dissection occurs due to a primary tear in the aortic intima, with blood from the aortic lumen entering the adjacent diseased media. In the clinical setting, practitioners often hesitate before the use of anti-thrombotic drugs in the acute phase of aortic dissection. Therefore, we examined the clinical course in patients who had already received antithrombotic therapies at the onset of acute aortic dissection, and who were given anti-thrombotic drugs in the acute phase during hospitalization. We retrospectively enrolled 685 consecutive patients with acute aortic dissection (type A/B: 454/231), who were transferred to Kurume University Hospital from 2004 to 2020. In types A and B, there were no significant differences between in-hospital mortality with or without antithrombotic therapies at the onset (14.3% vs. 16.4%, p = 0.66 in type A, 2.6% vs. 7.3%, p = 0.29 in type B). Patients in type A who survived more than a day and were treated with anti-thrombotic drugs during hospitalization had significantly lower in-hospital mortality compared with those who received no anti-thrombotic drugs in the acute phase (2.2% vs. 16.1%, p < 0.001), while there was no significant difference between in-hospital mortality in the two type-B groups (2.4% vs. 4.9%, p = 0.48). Although there were variations in response among patients with acute aortic dissection, anti-thrombotic drugs did not worsen in-hospital mortality for patients with acute aortic dissection, indicating that medical staff should not hesitate to administer anti-thrombotic drugs if indicated.

Surgical treatment of acute aortic dissection in a patient with SLE and prior antiphospholipid syndrome on therapy for over 30 years: a case report

BackgroundIn patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), lengthy treatment and long-term steroid use are the main risk factors for developing aortic aneurysms or aortic dissections. In patients with cardiac tamponade, hemodynamic collapse may lead to acute renal and hepatic failure.Case presentationWe report the successful treatment of a 55-year-old woman with SLE since the age of 21. She suddenly felt chest pain approximately 2 weeks before developing fever and vomiting and was admitted to our hospital. Initially, she had severe liver dysfunction and was admitted to the hepatology department, where treatment for fulminant hepatitis was initiated. However, computed tomography (CT) showed an acute aortic dissection (DeBakey type II) and severe bloody pericardial effusion. Therefore, we performed emergency pericardial drainage. Plasma exchange therapy was initiated as emergency aortic surgery was deemed impossible due to impaired liver function tests and coagulation. Ten days later, the patient developed peritonitis due to small bowel perforation, and laparotomy was performed for abscess drainage and perforation closure. She had received steroid pulse therapy at the age of 21. At 40 years of age, she developed deep vein thrombosis due to antiphospholipid antibodies and was prescribed prednisolone. She was ambulatory at 3 months after the onset of acute aortic dissection, and CT revealed a rapidly enlarging true aneurysm in the distal arch. We performed elective aortic surgery. Although there were no antiphospholipid antibodies, surgery could have led to a devastating antiphospholipid syndrome. Therefore, we decided to treat the patient with triple therapy. Methylprednisolone was intravenously administered intraoperatively and at 1 day postoperatively. The patient was discharged without complications after returning to her usual oral prednisolone regimen.ConclusionsThe patient described herein had a systemic circulatory failure due to cardiac tamponade, accompanied by liver failure. This condition is a significant cause of death in patients with aortic dissection-associated SLE and is extremely dangerous. However, multi-specialty intervention helped the patient recover, and she has been attending the outpatient clinic. Aortic surgery requiring hypothermia in SLE patients with antiphospholipid syndrome and a history of thrombocytopenia or thrombosis requires a multi-disciplinary treatment team, including cardiac surgeons and medical experts.

Low ambient temperature and temperature drop between neighbouring days and acute aortic dissection: a case-crossover study.

The incidence of acute aortic dissection (AAD) has been shown to have seasonal variation, but whether this variation can be explained by non-optimum ambient temperature and temperature change between neighbouring days (TCN) is not clear. We performed a time-stratified case-crossover study in the Registry of Aortic Dissection in China covering 14 tertiary hospitals in 11 cities from 2009 to 2019. A total of 8182 cases of AAD were included. Weather data at residential address were matched from nearby monitoring stations. Conditional logistic regression model and distributed lag nonlinear model were used to estimate the associations of daily temperature and TCN with AAD, adjusting for possible confounders. We observed an increase of AAD risk with lower temperature cumulated over lag 0-1 day and this association became statistically significant when daily mean temperature was below 24°C. Relative to the referent temperature (28°C), the odds ratios (ORs) of AAD onset at extremely low (-10°C) and low (1°C) temperature cumulated over lag 0-1 day were 2.84 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.69, 4.75] and 2.36 (95% CI: 1.61, 3.47), respectively. A negative TCN was associated with increased risk of AAD. The OR of AAD cumulated over lag 0-6 days was 2.66 (95% CI: 1.76, 4.02) comparing the extremely negative TCN (-7°C) to no temperature change. In contrast, a positive TCN was associated with reduced AAD risk. This study provides novel and robust evidence that low ambient temperature and temperature drop between neighbouring days were associated with increased risk of AAD onset. Incidence of acute aortic dissection (AAD) was reported to have seasonal trends, but it remains unclear whether non-optimum ambient temperature and temperature change between neighbouring days (TCN) is associated with AAD onset. Daily mean temperature lower than 24°C was significantly associated with increased risk of AAD at lag 0-1 day. A negative TCN (temperature drop) was associated with increased risk of AAD, whereas a positive TCN was associated with decreased risk. This multi-centre, case-crossover study provides novel and robust evidence that low ambient temperature and temperature drop between neighbouring days were associated with increased AAD risk.

Population-based incidence and outcomes of acute aortic dissection in Japan

Abstract Background The population-based incidence and outcomes of acute aortic dissection (AAD) are still unknown because some patients are already dead on arrival at the hospital, and the accurate diagnosis of AAD is difficult due to the low autopsy rate for patients with cardiopulmonary arrest outside of the hospital. We performed a population-based review of all patients with AAD in a well-defined geographical area in the southern part of Japan between 2016 and 2018. Methods Data of all patients with AAD at our Hospital, which performs medical care for 120,000 residents, were collected retrospectively. The emergency medical service is dedicated to the transfer of all patients in this area to the MPNH. For all patients who were dead on arrival, the diagnosis of AAD was made by autopsy imaging (AI) using computed tomography. The age-adjusted incidence and mortality per 100,000 population were calculated using the Japanese population distribution model in 2015. Results The total incidence of AAD was 79 (type A: 64.5%, n=51). Of those, 60.8% (31/51) of patients with type A and 21.4% (6/28) with type B were dead on arrival and diagnosed by AI. The 30-day mortality rates after the onset of AAD were 74.5% (38/51) in type A and 25.0% (7/28) in type B. Excluding the dead-on-arrival patients, the 30-day mortality rates were 35.0% (7/20) in type A and 4.5% (1/22) in type B. The age-adjusted incidence and mortality of AAD per 100,000 inhabitants were 17.3 (type A: 11.3, type B: 6.0) and 9.6 (type A: 8.4, type B: 1.2), respectively. Both values were significantly higher in men than in women. Conclusions The population-based survey of emergency medical care for AAD showed that the age-adjusted incidence of AAD was two-fold higher than in previous reports, and the actual mortality rates after AAD onset were markedly higher due to the high incidence of dead-on-arrival. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None. Representative CT images of type A AAD

Impact of meteorological factors on the occurrence of acute aortic dissection in Fujian Province, China: a single-center seven-year retrospective study

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between meteorological factors and the occurrence of acute aortic dissection (AAD) in Fujian Province, China.MethodsThe clinical data of 2004 patients diagnosed with AAD in our hospital and the relevant local meteorological data from January 2013 to November 2019 were retrospectively analyzed.ResultsThe incidence of AAD had a clear tendency toward concentration, and the corresponding peak in terms of the occurrence date was from January 13 to 14. The average minimum temperature, the average maximum temperature, and the average daily temperature differences on the “day with AAD” were significantly lower than those on the “day without AAD”. From 5 days to 3 days before AAD onset, the average daily temperature difference showed a downward trend, but statistical analysis showed that the average minimum, average maximum and average daily temperature differences were not significantly different from the values 5 days to 0 days before AAD onset.ConclusionsThe incidence of AAD is related to the season and month. The lowest average temperature may increase the incidence of AAD in patients with complicated cardiovascular diseases.

Chronologic and Climatic Factors of Acute Aortic Dissection: Study of 1642 Patients in Two Continents

The purpose of this study was to examine whether chronologic and climatic factors and lunar phases affect the onset of acute aortic dissection (AAD). The frequencies of AAD were analyzed with regard to the chronologic and climatic factors and lunar phases on the day when AAD occurred for 1642 patients with AAD from two aortic referral centers in the United States and China. Mean age of patients was 51.6 ± 13.1 years, and 1260 (76.7%) were men. Dissection was type A in 1125 patients (68.5%) and type B in 517 (31.5%). Early mortality rate was 11.6% (190 of 1642), including 89 aortic ruptures before operation and 101 operative deaths. There was a winter peak in occurrence (33.6%, P < .01) with a relative risk of 1.519. In a week, the frequency was highest on Wednesday (15.5%) and Monday (15.2%), and lowest on Sunday (12.8%). Month-specific incidence was significantly inversely correlated to the mean temperature (rho=-0.650, P= .022) and directly correlated to the atmospheric pressure (rho= 0.706, P= .001). The proportion of type A dissection was significantly higher in the full moon phase compared with type B dissection (73.7% vs 66.9%, P= .012). Acute aortic dissection exhibits significant chronologic variation in the frequency of occurrence, with a peak in winter and on Wednesdays, and nadir in summer and on Sundays. The incidence is significantly correlated to the mean temperature and atmospheric pressure. The proportion of type A dissection is higher in the full moon phase. These results are important for understanding the mechanisms involved in triggering AAD events and helpful for improving disease prevention and patient care.

Association between fine particulate matter air pollution and acute aortic dissections: A time-series study in Shanghai, China.

It remains unknown whether ambient air pollution could induce the onset of acute aortic dissection (AAD). This study aimed to investigate the potential association between fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and AAD onset. We collected new episodes of AAD between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2018 from the emergency department of a major hospital in Shanghai, China. The overdispersed generalized additive model was used to estimate the association between PM2.5 and AAD emergency hospitalizations and was adjusted for time trends and weather conditions. During the study period, we identified a total of 1335 cases of AAD hospitalizations and recorded an average PM2.5 concentration of 45 ± 30 μg/m3. The association was statistically significant on the concurrent day of hospital admission, remained on the lag 1 day. For the average of the two lags, a 10 μg/m3 increase of PM2.5 was associated with 3.38% (95% confidence interval: 1.02%, 5.79%) increase of AAD hospitalizations. The association between PM2.5 and AAD remained when adjusting for the concomitant exposures to coarse particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and ozone. The concentration-response curves increased apparently when daily PM2.5 concentration was beyond the China's National Ambient Air Quality Standard (35 μg/m3). In stratified analyses, the significant association was only present among elders and males, and during cool season. This investigation demonstrated a significant and robust association between short-term PM2.5 exposure and increased AAD hospitalizations in Shanghai, China. Our findings have important implications for the prevention of AAD.

Changes in Aortic Wall Thickness at a Site of Entry Tear on Computed Tomography before Development of Acute Aortic Dissection.

Objective: To determine if there are changes in the aortic wall before acute aortic dissection (AD) that can be observed on contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT).Materials and Methods: Twenty-two patients with AD who underwent CECT before developing AD were retrospectively identified and enrolled as the AD group. Twenty-five consecutive patients who underwent CECT and did not develop AD were enrolled as the control group. In the AD group, the site of entry tear was detected on CECT images; the aortic wall thickness at this site, defined as the dissection-related wall thickness (D-T), was then measured on CECT images acquired before AD. Moreover, the mean thickness of the ascending, thoracic descending, and abdominal aortic walls before AD was defined as the non-dissection-related wall thickness (non-D-T). In the control group, the aortic wall thickness was measured similarly and defined as the control wall thickness (C-T). The D-T, non-D-T, and C-T values were compared using one-way analysis of variance with the Games–Howell pairwise comparison test.Results: The D-T (2.17±0.75 mm) was significantly greater than the non-D-T (1.58±0.22 mm; P<.01) and C-T (1.53±0.15 mm; P<.01).Conclusion: The aortic wall may have become thicker prior to the onset of AD.

Blood urea nitrogen in the prediction of in-hospital mortality of patients with acute aortic dissection.

Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) has been shown to be associated with adverse cardiovascular disease outcomes. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prognostic role of BUN in patients with acute aortic dissection (AAD). BUN has correlation with in-hospital mortality of patients with AAD. Patients admitted to the emergency room within the first 24 h of onset of AAD were included in the study. BUN levels were measured on admission and the endpoints were mortality during hospi-talization after receiving surgical or endovascular repair. A total of 192 patients with AAD were enrolled. During hospitalization, 19 patients died and 173 patients survived. Increased levels of BUN (8.9 [7.0-9.7] vs. 6.0 [5.1-7.2] mmol/L, p < 0.001) were found in non-survivors compared with those survived. Using multivariable logistic analysis, BUN was an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality in patients with AAD (OR 1.415, 95% CI 1.016-1.971, p = 0.040). Furthermore, using receiver operating characteristic analysis, the optimal cutoff value for BUN was 6.95 mmol/L. Under this value, the area under the curve was 0.785 (95% CI 0.662-0.909, p < 0.001) and the sensitivity and specificity to predict in-hospital mortality was 78.9%, and 72.2%, respectively. Admission BUN levels were an independent predictor for in hospital mortality in pa-tients with AAD.

Study on periodic changes in onset of aortic dissection

Objective: To investigate theperiodic changes in onset of aortic dissection. Methods: The clinical data of 1 121 patients with acute aortic dissection from Hebei province, treated at Fuwai hospital from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2016, were collected and analyzed retrospectively. The regularity for the onset of aortic dissection was analyzed according to daytime (1:00 to 6:00, 7:00 to 12:00, 13:00 to 18:00, and 19:00 to 24:00), weekday, month, and quarter. Meanwhile,the differences in various type of aortic dissection patient were also compared. Results: The patients were (51.4±12.0) years old,77.88% (873 cases)were male and 69.05% (774 cases) were type A aortic dissection.The peak period for the onset of the disease in a day was from 13:00 to 18:00 (401 cases. 35.77%),and disease onset was less frequent from 1:00 to 6:00 (196 cases, 17.48%).The peak weekday of disease onset was Monday (173 cases, 15.43%) , and disease onset was less frequent on Friday (153 cases, 13.65%) . The peak month of disease onset was January (135 cases, 12.04%), and disease onset was less frequent in July(54 cases, 4.82%). The peak season of disease onset was winter (349 cases, 31.13%), and disease onset was less frequent in summer (184 cases, 16.41%). Number of disease onset was similar between ≥65 years old and<65 years old groups, with or without hypertension groups, with or without Marfan syndrome groups at different periods of a day, each weekday, and seasons(all P>0.05). Conclusion: There are periodic changes in the onset of acute aortic dissection,which is higher in winter than in summer, higher in the afternoon than in the morning.

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.

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.

Consumption coagulopathy in acute aortic dissection: principles of management

BackgroundThe effect of acute aortic dissection itself on coagulopathy or surgery-related coagulopathy has never been specifically studied. The aim of the present study was to perioperatively describe consumption coagulopathy in patients with acute aortic dissection.MethodsSixty-six patients with acute type A aortic dissection were enrolled in this study from January 2015 to September 2016. Thirty-six patients with thoracic aortic aneurysms were used as a control group during the same period. Consumption coagulopathy was evaluated using standard laboratory tests, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and thromboelastograghy at five perioperative time-points.ResultsA significant reduction in clotting factors and fibrinogen was observed at the onset of acute aortic dissection. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and thromboelastograghy also revealed a persistent systemic activation of the coagulation system and the consumption of clotting factors. In contrast, although platelet counts were consistently low, we did not find that platelet function was more impaired in the acute aortic dissection group than the control group.ConclusionsAfter surgery, clotting factors and fibrinogen were more impaired than platelet function. Thus, we proposed that hemostatic therapy should focus on the rapid and sufficient supplementation of clotting factors and fibrinogen to improve consumption coagulopathy in patients with acute aortic dissection.

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.

A pilot observational study on magnesium and calcium imbalance in elderly patients with acute aortic dissection

BackgroundMagnesium (Mg) and calcium (Ca) are the principal essential elements involved in endothelial cell homeostasis. Extracellular changes in the levels of either alter endothelial contraction and dilatation. Consequently Mg and Ca imbalance is associated with a high risk of endothelial dysfunction, the main process observed during acute aortic dissection (AAD); in this clinical condition, which mainly affects elderly men, smooth muscle cell alterations lead to intimal tears, creating a false new lumen in the media of the aorta. AAD patients have a high risk of mortality as a result of late diagnosis because often it is not distinguished from other cardiovascular diseases.We investigated Mg and Ca total circulating levels and the associated pro-inflammatory mediators in elderly AAD patients, to gain further information on the pathophysiology of this disorder, with a view to suggesting newer and earlier potential biomarkers of AAD.ResultsTotal circulating Mg and Ca levels were both lower in AAD patients than controls (p < 0.0001). Using Ca as cut-off, 90% of AAD patients with low Ca (<8.4 mg/dL) came into the type A classification of AAD. Stratifying AAD according to this cut-off, Mg was lower in patients with lower total Ca.Compared to controls, both type A and B AAD patients had higher levels of all the pro-coagulant and pro-inflammatory mediators analyzed, including sP-sel, D-dimer, TNF-α, IL-6, and CRP (p < 0.05). Dividing types A and B using the Stanford classification, no significant differences were found (p > 0.05) The levels of both ICAM-1 and EN-1 were lower in AAD than in a control group (p < 0.0001 and p < 0.05 respectively).ConclusionsThese findings suggest that low Mg and Ca in AAD elderly patients may contribute to altering normal endothelial physiology and also concur in changing the normal concentrations of different mediators involved in vasodilatation and constriction, associated with AAD onset and severity.

Weather conditions and their effect on the increase of the risk of type A acute aortic dissection onset in Berlin.

In this study, a minimum distance classification and forward feature selection technique are joined to determine the relationship between weather conditions and the increase of the risk of type A acute aortic dissection (AAD) events in Berlin. The results demonstrate that changes in the amount of cloudiness and air temperature are the most representative weather predictors among the studied parameters. A discrimination surface was developed for the prediction of AAD events 6h ahead, and it is found that, under a specific amount of cloudiness and air temperature, the risk of AAD events in Berlin increases about 20%.

Survivors of Aortic Dissection: Activity, Mental Health, and Sexual Function

Currently no research exists assessing lifestyle modifications and emotional state of acute aortic dissection (AAD) survivors. We sought to assess activity, mental health, and sexual function in AAD survivors. Physical and sexual activity will decrease in AAD survivors compared to pre-dissection. Incidence of anxiety and depression will be significant after AAD. A cross sectional survey was mailed to 197 subjects from a single academic medical center (part of larger IRAD database). Subjects were ≥18 years of age surviving a type A or B AAD between 1996 and 2011. 82 surveys were returned (overall response rate 42%). Mean age ± SD was 59.5 ± 13.7 years, with 54.9% type A and 43.9% type B patients. Walking remained the most prevalent form of physical activity (49 (60%) pre-dissection and 47 (57%) post-dissection). Physical inactivity increased from 14 (17%) before AAD to 20 (24%) after AAD; sexual activity decreased from 31 (38%) to 9 (11%) mostly due to fear. Most patients (66.7%) were not exerting themselves physically or emotionally at AAD onset. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) at 36 months post-discharge for patients engaging in ≥2 sessions of aerobic activity/week was 126.67 ± 10.30 vs. 141.10 ± 11.87 (p-value 0.012) in those who did not. Self-reported new-onset depression after AAD was 32% and also 32% for new-onset anxiety. Alterations in lifestyle and emotional state are frequent in AAD survivors. Clinicians should screen for unfounded fears or beliefs after dissection that may reduce function and/or quality of life for AAD survivors.

Key success factors for thoracic endovascular aortic repair for non-acute Stanford type B aortic dissection

We aimed to determine the key factors associated with successful early and late outcomes after thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) for non-acute Stanford type B aortic dissection at our institution. Inpatient and outpatient records were retrospectively reviewed. Patients operated on within 14 days after the onset of acute aortic dissection and those with rupture or malperfusion were excluded. Forty-five patients (mean age, 55.5 ± 13.1 years; 23-79 years) underwent 53 TEVAR operations for non-acute Stanford type B aortic dissection between 1998 and 2012. Thirty-four patients had a patent false lumen and 19 had an ulcer-like projection (ULP). No early mortality was observed. At late follow-up (7.5 ± 3.9 years) of the 45 patients, survival after the initial TEVAR was 100, 86 and 63%; freedom from aortic reintervention was 87, 73 and 59%; and freedom from open aortic surgery was 89, 84 and 73%, at 1, 5 and 10 years, respectively. Of 15 late deaths, 2 were due to aortic rupture and 2 were operative deaths associated with aortic surgery. Of the 34 patients with patent false lumens before TEVAR, 25 had their descending false lumens thrombosed; of these 25, 16 had remodelling of the descending aorta; and of these 16, 4 had complete obliteration of the false lumen of the entire aorta. By bivariate analysis, the site of the primary entry and age were significantly associated with thrombosis of the descending false lumen, maximum aortic diameter was associated with remodelling of the descending aorta, and absence of abdominal branches arising from the false lumen was associated with complete obliteration of the false lumen of the entire aorta. The early results of TEVAR for non-acute Stanford type B aortic dissection were favourable. However, for cases with patent false lumens, complete obliteration of the false lumen of the entire aorta was difficult to achieve. Absence of the primary entry at the outer curvature of the distal aortic arch, younger age, small aortic diameter and absence of the abdominal aortic branches arising from the false lumen were the key success factors.