Gender-related differences in patients with acute aortic dissection type A

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Medicine
• Thoracic Surgery
• Aortic Diseases

Background:

• Acute aortic dissection type A (AADA) affects both genders, but presentation, treatment, and outcomes may differ.
• Understanding these differences is crucial for optimizing patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and compare the clinical features, treatment strategies, and 30-day outcomes of female and male patients diagnosed with AADA.
• To identify any gender-specific disparities in AADA management and prognosis.

Main Methods:

• Data from 3380 patients (1234 women, 2146 men) diagnosed with AADA between 2006 and 2015 were analyzed from the German Registry for AADA.
• Clinical features, surgical interventions, and 30-day post-operative events were compared between genders.

Main Results:

• Women were significantly older at diagnosis (65.5 vs 59.2 years).
• Men exhibited higher rates of dissection extending to the abdominal aorta and malperfusion syndromes (visceral and renal).
• Despite men undergoing more frequent aortic root replacement, 30-day mortality rates were similar (16.3% in women vs 16.6% in men), with gender not influencing mortality risk.

Conclusions:

• Aortic dissection type A occurs more frequently in men, typically at a younger age than in women.
• While presentation and surgical patterns differ between genders, AADA management and 30-day outcomes show no significant gender-based disparity.