Abstract

Background: Acute type B aortic dissection (TBAD) is catastrophic event associated with significant mortality and lifelong morbidity. The optimal treatment strategy of TBAD is still controversial.

Methods: This analysis includes patients treated for TBAD at the Helsinki University Hospital, Finland in 2007–2019. The endpoints were early and late mortality, and intervention of the aorta.

Results: There were 205 consecutive TBAD patients, 59 complicated and 146 uncomplicated patients (mean age of 66 ± 14, females 27.8%). In-hospital and 30-day mortality rates were higher in complicated patients compared with uncomplicated patients with a statistically significant difference (p = 0.035 and p = 0.015, respectively). After a mean follow-up of 4.9 ± 3.8 years, 36 (25.0%) and 22 (37.9%) TBAD -related adverse events occurred in the uncomplicated and complicated groups, respectively (p = 0.066). Freedom from composite outcome was 83 ± 3% and 69 ± 6% at 1 year, 75 ± 4% and 63 ± 7% at 5 years, 70 ± 5% and 59 ± 7% at 10 years in the uncomplicated group and in the complicated group, respectively (p = 0.052). There were 25 (39.1%) TBAD-related deaths in the overall series and prior aortic aneurysm was the only risk factor for adverse aortic-related events in multivariate analysis (HR 3.46, 95% CI 1.72–6.96, p < 0.001).

Conclusion: TBAD is associated with a significant risk of early and late adverse events. Such a risk tends to be lower among patients with uncomplicated dissection, still one fourth of them experience TBAD-related event. Recognition of risk factors in the uncomplicated group who may benefit from early aortic repair would be beneficial.