Male–Female Differences in Acute Type B Aortic Dissection

Abstract

Background Acute type B aortic dissection is a cardiovascular emergency with considerable mortality and morbidity risk. Male–female differences have been observed in cardiovascular disease; however, literature on type B aortic dissection is scarce. Methods and Results A retrospective cohort study was conducted including all consecutive patients with acute type B aortic dissection between 2007 and 2017 in 4 tertiary hospitals using patient files and questionnaires for late morbidity. In total, 384 patients were included with a follow‐up of 6.1 (range, 0.02–14.8) years, of which 41% (n=156) were female. Women presented at an older age than men (67 [interquartile range (IQR), 57–73] versus 62 [IQR, 52–71]; P =0.015). Prior abdominal aortic aneurysm (6% versus 15%; P =0.009), distally extending dissections (71 versus 85%; P =0.001), and clinical malperfusion (18% versus 32%; P =0.002) were less frequently observed in women. Absolute maximal descending aortic diameters were smaller in women (36 [IQR: 33–40] mm versus 39 [IQR, 36–43] mm; P <0.001), while indexed for body surface area diameters were larger in women (20 [IQR, 18–23] mm/m 2 versus 19 [IQR, 17–21] mm/m 2 ). No male–female differences were found in treatment choice; however, indications for invasive treatment were different ( P <0.001). Early mortality rate was 9.6% in women and 11.8% in men ( P =0.60). The 5‐year survival was 83% (95% CI, 77–89) for women and 84% (95% CI, 79–89) for men ( P =0.90). No male–female differences were observed in late (re)interventions. Conclusions No male–female differences were found in management, early or late death, and morbidity in patients presenting with acute type B aortic dissection, despite distinct clinical profiles at presentation. More details on the impact of age and type of intervention are warranted in future studies.