Biomarkers for diagnosis and prognostic stratification of aortic dissection: challenges and perspectives.

Aortic dissection (AD) is a severe vascular disease associated with major morbidity and mortality. The diagnosis of AD requires the performance of urgent aortic imaging exams such as computed tomography angiography, but the decision to perform these exams now essentially relies on clinical judgment. Several studies have identified a range of potential biomarkers stemming from the aortic extracellular matrix (matrix metalloproteinases, TGF-β, soluble elastin fragments), vascular smooth muscle cells (smooth muscle myosin heavy chain, creatine kinase, calponin), coagulation (D-dimer, platelets) and inflammation (C-reactive protein), whose circulating levels increase in patients affected by AD. Biomarkers of AD could be potentially used to screen patients with compatible symptoms, to identify patients at higher risk of AD, to rule out AD in patients with non-high clinical probability of AD and/or to obtain prognostic stratification of affected patients. This review will summarize available data and discuss present and future perspectives of circulating biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognostic stratification of AD.