Subacute/chronic type A aortic dissection: a retrospective cohort study

Abstract

Objectives: Our goal was to outline the clinical presentations, surgical treatment and outcomes of subacute/chronic type A aortic dissection (TAAD).

Methods: A total of 1092 patients with TAAD were enrolled retrospectively and divided into 2 groups based on acuity of TAAD (181 subacute/chronic vs 911 acute cases of TAAD). Early and late outcomes were investigated and compared using propensity score matching.

Results: The top 3 symptoms for subacute/chronic TAAD were chest tightness (80/181, 44.2%), mild pain (65/181, 35.9%) and sweating (58/181, 32.0). Fifteen (15/181, 8.3%) patients were symptom-free. Typical symptoms of acute TAAD were less common in patients with subacute/chronic TAAD such as intense/sharp pain (48/181, 26.5%), tear-like pain (35/181, 19.3%) and radiating pain (30/181, 16.6%). Patients with subacute/chronic TAAD had better early and late survival rates, with an early mortality rate of 6.1% (11/181) compared to 11.6% (106/911) of those with acute TAAD (P = 0.038). Before propensity score matching, survival at 1, 3 and 5 years was 93.1% [95% confidence interval (CI) 89.4-96.9%], 88.4% (95% CI 83.1-93.9%) and 86.4% (95% CI 80.1-93.1%) for subacute/chronic TAAD and 86.9% (95% CI 84.7-89.2%), 82.6% (95% CI 79.9-85.3%) and 79.0% (95% CI 75.5-82.7%) for acute TAAD, respectively (P = 0.039). The propensity score matching analysis substantiated the foregoing results.

Conclusions: Subacute/chronic TAAD was clearly distinct from acute TAAD in terms of clinical presentations and had better early and late survival rates. Current surgical strategies for acute TAAD are applicable to subacute/chronic TAAD with excellent outcomes.

Keywords: Clinical manifestations; Subacute/chronic type A aortic dissection; Surgery; Thoracic aorta.