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Objective: Acute type B aortic dissection can be treated with medical management alone, open surgical repair, or thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). The nationwide burden of readmissions after acute type B aortic dissection has not been comprehensively assessed., Methods: We analyzed adults with a hospitalization due to acute type B aortic dissection between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2014, in the Nationwide Readmissions Database. International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes were used to identify hospitalizations with a primary diagnosis code for thoracic or thoracoabdominal aortic dissection. The primary outcome was nonelective 90-day readmission. Predictors of readmission were determined using hierarchical logistic regression., Results: The study population consisted of 6937 patients with unplanned admissions for type B aortic dissections from 2010 through 2014. Medical management alone was the treatment for 62.6% of patients, 21.0% had open surgical repair, and 16.4% underwent TEVAR. Nonelective 90-day readmission rate was 25.1% (23.6% with medical management alone, 26.9% with open repair, and 28.7% with TEVAR; P < .001). An additional 4.7% of patients were electively readmitted. The most common cause for nonelective readmission was new or recurrent arterial aneurysm or dissection (24.8%). Of those with unplanned readmissions, 5.2% underwent an aortic procedure. The mortality rate during nonelective readmission was 5.0%, and the mean cost of the rehospitalization was $22,572 ± $41,598., Conclusions: More than one in four patients have a nonelective readmission 90 days after hospitalization for acute type B aortic dissection. Absolute rates of readmission varied by initial treatment received but were high irrespective of the initial treatment. The most common cause of readmission was aortic disease, particularly among those treated with medication alone. Further research is required to determine potential interventions to decrease these costly and morbid readmissions, including the role of multidisciplinary aortic teams., (Copyright © 2019 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Bicuspid aortic valve is a common risk factor for thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection. Guidelines for elective ascending aortic intervention (AAI) in bicuspid aortic valve are derived from limited evidence, and the extent of practice variation due to patient and provider characteristics is unknown. Using data from 2 large cardiovascular registries, we investigated factors that influence decisions for AAI., Methods: All bicuspid aortic valve cases with known aortic diameters and surgical status were included. We used multivariable logistic regression to profile predictors of isolated aortic valve replacement (AVR) or AVR+AAI, stratified by patient characteristics, surgical indications, and institution., Results: We studied 2861 subjects at 18 institutions from 1996 to 2015. The median aortic diameter of patients who underwent AVR+AAI varied widely across institutions (39-52 mm). Aortic diameters were <45 mm in 38% of patients undergoing AVR+AAI. Patients who underwent AAI at <45 mm, compared with those managed nonoperatively, were younger (54 ± 13 vs 61 ± 15 years; P < .001) with more frequent aortic stenosis (53% vs 28%; P < .001) and regurgitation (52% vs 18%; P < .001)., Conclusions: Clinical and institutional factors influence the timing of AAI and are associated with significant variability in ascending aortic diameter at AAI across institutions. More than one third of patients with a bicuspid aortic valve undergo AAI at aortic diameters <45 mm. Long-term outcomes of this subgroup of patients, who may manifest earlier and more severe disease, are needed to determine the risk-benefit ratio of routine aortic interventions at smaller diameters., (Copyright © 2019 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Arterial tortuosity has emerged as a predictor of adverse outcomes in congenital aortopathies using 3D reconstructed images. We validated a new method to estimate aortic arch tortuosity on 2D CT. We hypothesize that arch tortuosity may identify bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) patients at high risk to develop thoracic aortic aneurysms or aortic dissections (TAD)., Methods: BAV subjects with chest CT scans were retrospectively identified in our clinical records and matched to tricuspid aortic valve (TAV) controls by age, gender, and presentation with TAD. Subjects with prior ascending aortic intervention were excluded. Measurements included aortic arch tortuosity, length, angle, width and height. Total aortic tortuosity was estimated in subjects with available abdominal images., Results: 120 BAV and 234 TAV subjects were included. Our 2D measurements were highly correlated with 3D midline arch measurements and had high inter- and intra-observer reliability. Compared to TAV, BAV subjects had increased arch tortuosity (median 1.76 [Q1-Q3: 1.62-1.95] vs. 1.63 [1.53-1.78], P < 0.01), length (149 [136-160] vs. 135 [122-152] mm, P < 0.01), height (46 [41-53] vs. 39 [34-47] mm, P < 0.01), and vertex acuity (70 [61-77] vs. 75 [68-81] degree, P < 0.01). In a multivariable analysis, arch tortuosity remained independently associated with BAV after adjusting for aortic diameter and other clinical characteristics., Conclusions: We found that aortic arch tortuosity is significantly increased in BAV and may identify BAV patients who are at increased risk for TAD. Further studies to evaluate the association between tortuosity and clinical outcomes are in progress., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background Thoracic aortic aneurysm is common in patients with tetralogy of Fallot ( TOF ); the incidence of thoracic aortic dissection ( TAD ) is unknown, but generally considered to be uncommon. The purpose of this study was to determine incidence and risk factors for TAD in TOF patients. Methods and Results This work is a retrospective review of the National Inpatient Sample ( NIS ) database for cases of ascending TAD among all hospital admissions in adults with TOF , 2000-2014. Of 18 353 admissions in TOF patients, 11 (0.06%; 6 per 10 000 admissions) of these were TAD -related admissions. For the TAD -related admissions, mean age was 49.8±7.2 years; aortic surgical interventions were performed during 8 of the admissions, and overall in-hospital mortality was 45% (5 of 11). Risk factors associated with TAD -related admission were age >60 years (odds ratio, 2.41; 95% CI, 1.23-3.25; P=0.013), male sex ( odds ratio, 6.91; 95% CI, 4.85-8.54; P<0.001), and hypertension (odds ratio, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.06-3.19; P=0.037). Conclusions This is the first population-based study of TAD outcomes in patients with TOF , and it showed a low risk of TAD in this population. This has important clinical implication with regard to surveillance and surgical intervention. Given that prevalence of thoracic aortic aneurysm is higher in TOF patients compared with the general population; therefore, making clinical decisions based on outcomes data and practice guidelines derived from patients with degenerative and bicuspid aortic valve-related aortopathies may lead to overtreatment. Further studies are required to better understand the pathobiology of this disease in order to make evidence-based recommendations for surveillance and treatment.

Two guidelines from the American College of Cardiology (ACC), the American Heart Association (AHA), and collaborating societies address the risk of aortic dissection in patients with bicuspid aortic valves and severe aortic enlargement: the "2010 ACCF/AHA/AATS/ACR/ASA/SCA/SCAI/SIR/STS/SVM Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Patients With Thoracic Aortic Disease" (Circulation. 2010;121:e266-e369) and the "2014 AHA/ACC Guideline for the Management of Patients With Valvular Heart Disease" (Circulation. 2014;129:e521-e643). However, the 2 guidelines differ with regard to the recommended threshold of aortic root or ascending aortic dilatation that would justify surgical intervention in patients with bicuspid aortic valves. The ACC and AHA therefore convened a subcommittee representing members of the 2 guideline writing committees to review the evidence, reach consensus, and draft a statement of clarification for both guidelines. This statement of clarification uses the ACC/AHA revised structure for delineating the Class of Recommendation and Level of Evidence to provide recommendations that replace those contained in Section 9.2.2.1 of the thoracic aortic disease guideline and Section 5.1.3 of the valvular heart disease guideline., (© 2015 American College of Cardiology Foundation and American Heart Association, Inc.)

Two guidelines from the American College of Cardiology (ACC), the American Heart Association (AHA), and collaborating societies address the risk of aortic dissection in patients with bicuspid aortic valves and severe aortic enlargement: the "2010 ACCF/AHA/AATS/ACR/ASA/SCA/SCAI/SIR/STS/SVM Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Patients With Thoracic Aortic Disease" (J Am Coll Cardiol 2010;55:e27-130) and the "2014 AHA/ACC Guideline for the Management of Patients With Valvular Heart Disease" (J Am Coll Cardiol 2014;63:e57-185). However, the 2 guidelines differ with regard to the recommended threshold of aortic root or ascending aortic dilatation that would justify surgical intervention in patients with bicuspid aortic valves. The ACC and AHA therefore convened a subcommittee representing members of the 2 guideline writing committees to review the evidence, reach consensus, and draft a statement of clarification for both guidelines. This statement of clarification uses the ACC/AHA revised structure for delineating the Class of Recommendation and Level of Evidence to provide recommendations that replace those contained in Section 9.2.2.1 of the thoracic aortic disease guideline and Section 5.1.3 of the valvular heart disease guideline., (Copyright © 2016 American College of Cardiology Foundation and American Heart Association, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)