The Nordic Consortium for Acute type A Aortic Dissection (NORCAAD): objectives and design.
OBJECTIVE
The Nordic Consortium for Acute Type A Aortic Dissection (NORCAAD) is a collaborative effort of Nordic cardiac surgery centers to study acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD). Here, we outline the overall objectives and the design of NORCAAD.


METHODS
NORCAAD currently consists of eight centers in Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Sweden. Data was collected for patients undergoing surgery for ATAAD from 2005 to 2014. A total of 194 variables were retrospectively collected including demographics, past medical history, preoperative medications, symptoms at presentation, operative variables, complications, bleeding and blood transfusions, need for late reoperations, 30-day mortality and long-term survival.


RESULTS
Information was gathered in the database for 1159 patients, of which 67.6% were male. The mean age was 61.5 ± 12.1 years. The mean follow-up was 3.1 ± 2.9 years with a total of 3535 patient years.


CONCLUSIONS
NORCAAD provides a foundation for close collaboration between cardiac surgery centers in the Nordic countries. Substudies in progress include: short-term outcomes, long-term survival, time interval from diagnosis until operation, effects of surgical techniques, malperfusion syndrome, renal failure, bleeding and neurological complications on outcomes and the rate of late reoperations.
a Faculty of Medicine , Landspitali University Hospital, University of Iceland , Reykjavik , Iceland.
Arnar
A
Geirsson
b Orebro University Hospital , Orebro , Sweden.
Anders
A
Ahlsson
c Karolinska University Hospital , Stockholm , Sweden.
Anders
A
Franco-Cereceda
d Aarhus University Hospital , Skejby , Denmark.
Simon
S
Fuglsang
e Turku University Hospital , Turku , Finland.
Jarmo
J
Gunn
f Sahlgrenska University Hospital , Gothenburg , Sweden.
Emma C
EC
Hansson
d Aarhus University Hospital , Skejby , Denmark.
Vibeke
V
Hjortdal
g Tampere University Hospital , Tampere , Finland.
Kati
K
Jarvela
f Sahlgrenska University Hospital , Gothenburg , Sweden.
Anders
A
Jeppsson
g Tampere University Hospital , Tampere , Finland.
Ari
A
Mennander
h Skane University Hospital , Lund , Sweden.
Shahab
S
Nozohoor
c Karolinska University Hospital , Stockholm , Sweden.
Christian
C
Olsson
c Karolinska University Hospital , Stockholm , Sweden.
Anders
A
Wickbom
h Skane University Hospital , Lund , Sweden.
Igor
I
Zindovic
a Faculty of Medicine , Landspitali University Hospital, University of Iceland , Reykjavik , Iceland.
Tomas
T
Gudbjartsson
D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D001014:Aortic Aneurysm / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D012086:Reoperation; D012107:Research Design; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012537:Scandinavian and Nordic Countries / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality
NORCAAD; Type A aortic dissection; complications; outcome; surgery; survival