Toru Suzuki1, Alessandro Distante, Kim Eagle. 1. Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan. torusuzu-tky@umin.ac.jp
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Acute aortic dissection is a disease that is often a challenge to diagnose. Early and immediate diagnosis is important for initiation of treatment and improved survival. Despite recent advances in imaging methods to diagnose the disease, biochemical methods are not available. RECENT FINDINGS: Biomarkers that might be useful for the biochemical detection of acute aortic dissection have been recently described, such as assays for the circulating proteins, smooth muscle myosin heavy chain, creatine kinase BB-isozyme, calponin (smooth muscle troponin) and elastin. C-reactive protein and D-dimer have also been shown to be useful. SUMMARY: Biomarker-assisted diagnosis of acute aortic dissection would be helpful in detecting this acute catastrophic aortic disease, which still remains a challenge to diagnose. Although recent progress in development of biomarkers has been made, there is no widely accepted strategy. Available biomarkers such as D-dimer may play an assistive role in the meantime.
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Acute aortic dissection is a disease that is often a challenge to diagnose. Early and immediate diagnosis is important for initiation of treatment and improved survival. Despite recent advances in imaging methods to diagnose the disease, biochemical methods are not available. RECENT FINDINGS: Biomarkers that might be useful for the biochemical detection of acute aortic dissection have been recently described, such as assays for the circulating proteins, smooth muscle myosin heavy chain, creatine kinase BB-isozyme, calponin (smooth muscle troponin) and elastin. C-reactive protein and D-dimer have also been shown to be useful. SUMMARY: Biomarker-assisted diagnosis of acute aortic dissection would be helpful in detecting this acute catastrophic aortic disease, which still remains a challenge to diagnose. Although recent progress in development of biomarkers has been made, there is no widely accepted strategy. Available biomarkers such as D-dimer may play an assistive role in the meantime.