Mariagrazia Croccia1, Maurizio Levantino2, Paolo Marraccini3, Federico Franchi4, Uberto Bortolotti2. 1. Department of Cardiac Surgery, Heart Transplantation Division, University of Siena, Siena, Italy. 2. Section of Cardiac Surgery. 3. Division of Radiology, University Hospital, Pisa, Italy. 4. Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: We aimed to evaluate size changes of the thoracic aorta during the cardiac cycle with dynamic computed tomographic angiography (CTA) at specific anatomic landmarks in patients who previously underwent ascending aorta repair because of type A dissection, and to correlate aortic wall motion with several cardiovascular risk factors. METHODS: From December 2008 to December 2010, 18 patients (14 men and 4 women, mean age 64 ± 12 years) with previous aortic repair underwent electrocardiography-gated CTA follow-up. Aortic systolic and diastolic diameter and cross-sectional area were measured at 4 levels: 1 cm proximal (level A) and 1 (B), 3 (C), and 10 cm (D) distal to the origin of the left subclavian artery. RESULTS were assessed according to age and presence of diabetes, hypertension, and smoking. RESULTS: This morpho-functional evaluation of aortic wall motion demonstrated a significant influence (P < 0.05) of hypertension at level A and D and diabetes at level D. Smoking had a borderline significance at level C and D. No significant correlation with age was evident, with results not significantly different in patients ≤ 55 and > 55 years. CONCLUSIONS: Smoking, diabetes, and hypertension play a role in impairing aortic size variations. These variations might predict wall structural alterations due to cardiovascular risk factors before they become morphologically evident. This might influence timing of surveillance following repair of acute dissection, allowing it to be specifically tailored for any single subject.
BACKGROUND: We aimed to evaluate size changes of the thoracic aorta during the cardiac cycle with dynamic computed tomographic angiography (CTA) at specific anatomic landmarks in patients who previously underwent ascending aorta repair because of type A dissection, and to correlate aortic wall motion with several cardiovascular risk factors. METHODS: From December 2008 to December 2010, 18 patients (14 men and 4 women, mean age 64 ± 12 years) with previous aortic repair underwent electrocardiography-gated CTA follow-up. Aortic systolic and diastolic diameter and cross-sectional area were measured at 4 levels: 1 cm proximal (level A) and 1 (B), 3 (C), and 10 cm (D) distal to the origin of the left subclavian artery. RESULTS were assessed according to age and presence of diabetes, hypertension, and smoking. RESULTS: This morpho-functional evaluation of aortic wall motion demonstrated a significant influence (P < 0.05) of hypertension at level A and D and diabetes at level D. Smoking had a borderline significance at level C and D. No significant correlation with age was evident, with results not significantly different in patients ≤ 55 and > 55 years. CONCLUSIONS: Smoking, diabetes, and hypertension play a role in impairing aortic size variations. These variations might predict wall structural alterations due to cardiovascular risk factors before they become morphologically evident. This might influence timing of surveillance following repair of acute dissection, allowing it to be specifically tailored for any single subject.
Entities:
Keywords:
Aortic dissection; Computed tomography; Repair of aortic dissection
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