Sex-based Outcomes after Surgery for Acute Type A Aortic Dissection

Abstract

Background: While prior data have suggested worse outcomes in women after acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) repair when compared to men, results have been inconsistent across studies over time. This study sought to evaluate the impact of sex on short- and long-term outcomes after ATAAD repair. Methods: This was a retrospective study utilizing an institutional database of ATAAD repairs from 2007 to 2021. Patients were stratified according to sex. Kaplan-Meier survival estimation and multivariable Cox regression were performed. Supplementary analysis using propensity score matching was also performed. Results: Of the 601 patients who underwent ATAAD repair, 361 were males (60.1%) and 240 (39.9%) were females. Females were significantly older, more likely to have hypertension, and more likely to have chronic lung disease. Females were also significantly more likely than males to undergo hemiarch replacement, while males were significantly more likely than females to undergo total arch replacement and frozen elephant trunk. Operative mortality was 9.4% among males and 13.8% among females, though this was not a statistically significant difference (p=0.098). Postoperative complications were comparable between groups. Kaplan-Meier survival estimates were similar for men and women, and, on multivariable Cox regression, sex was not significantly associated with long-term survival (HR 1.00, 95% CI: 0.73, 1.37, p=0.986). Outcomes remained comparable after supplementary propensity score matched analysis. Conclusion: ATAAD repair can be performed with comparable short-term and long-term outcomes in both men and women.

Sex‐based differences in acute type A aortic dissection—Biology or bias?

“…Sex‐based outcomes following repair of acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) has been of considerable interest among researchers and the study by Yousef et al is another attempt to establish the impact of gender on outcomes 1 . The authors have examined a large institutional database over a 15‐year period and concluded that while there are differences in presentation, mortality is essentially similar between males and females.…”