Acute type A aortic dissection in the elderly: clinical characteristics, management, and outcomes in the current era.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to evaluate the clinical characteristics, management, and outcomes of elderly patients with acute type A aortic dissection.


BACKGROUND
Few data exist on the clinical manifestations and outcomes of acute type A aortic dissection in an elderly patient cohort.


METHODS
We categorized 550 patients with type A aortic dissection enrolled in the International Registry of Acute Aortic Dissection into two age strata (<70 and >or=70 years) and compared their clinical features, management, and in-hospital events.


RESULTS
Thirty-two percent of patients with type A dissection were aged >or=70 years. Marfan syndrome was exclusively associated with dissection in the young, whereas hypertension, atherosclerosis and iatrogenic dissection predominated in older patients. Typical symptoms (abrupt onset of chest or back pain) and signs (aortic regurgitation murmur or pulse deficits) of dissection were less common among the elderly. Fewer elderly patients were managed surgically than younger patients (64% vs. 86%, p < 0.0001). Hypotension occurred more frequently (46% vs. 32%, p = 0.002) and focal neurologic deficits less frequently (18% vs. 26%, p = 0.04) among the elderly. In-hospital mortality was higher among older patients (43% vs. 28%, p = 0.0006). Logistic regression analysis identified age >or=70 years as an independent predictor of hospital death for acute type A aortic dissection (odds ratio 1.7, 95% confidence interval 1.1-2.8; p = 0.03).


CONCLUSIONS
Our study shows significant differences between older (age >or=70 years) and younger (age <70 years) patients with acute type A aortic dissection in their clinical characteristics, management, and hospital outcomes. Future research should evaluate strategies to improve outcomes in this high-risk elderly cohort.
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48105, USA. rmehta@umich.edu
Rajendra H
RH
Mehta
Patrick T
PT
O'Gara
Eduardo
E
Bossone
Christoph A
CA
Nienaber
Truls
T
Myrmel
Jeanna V
JV
Cooper
Dean E
DE
Smith
William F
WF
Armstrong
Eric M
EM
Isselbacher
Linda A
LA
Pape
Kim A
KA
Eagle
Dan
D
Gilon
D000208:Acute Disease; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D001014:Aortic Aneurysm / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D012042:Registries; D016019:Survival Analysis