Management of Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome After Cardiovascular Interventions. Diagnostic, Prognostic, and Therapeutic Implications

A substantial number of patients may experience systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and related adverse events after transcatheter aortic valve implantation and endovascular aortic aneurysm repair. Although a clear etiology has not been established, endothelial disruption and tissue-ischemic response secondary to the foreign material may represent the trigger events. A latency period (0 to 48 hours) may occur between the initial injury and onset of symptoms mirroring an initial local response followed by a systemic response. Clinical presentation can be mild or severe depending on external triggers and characteristics of the patient. Diagnosis is challenging because it simulates an infection, but lack of response to antibiotics, negative cultures are supportive of SIRS. Increased in-hospital stay, readmissions, major cardiovascular events, and reduced durability of the device used are the main complications. Treatment includes non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or corticosteroids. In conclusion, further studies are warranted to fully explore pathophysiologic mechanisms underpinning SIRS and the possibility of enhancing device material immune compatibility to reduce the inflammatory reaction of the host tissue.

Modelling large scale artery haemodynamics from the heart to the eye in response to simulated microgravity

We investigated variations in haemodynamics in response to simulated microgravity across a semi-subject-specific three-dimensional (3D) continuous arterial network connecting the heart to the eye using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. Using this model we simulated pulsatile blood flow in an upright Earth gravity case and a simulated microgravity case. Under simulated microgravity, regional time-averaged wall shear stress (TAWSS) increased and oscillatory shear index (OSI) decreased in upper body arteries, whilst the opposite was observed in the lower body. Between cases, uniform changes in TAWSS and OSI were found in the retina across diameters. This work demonstrates that 3D CFD simulations can be performed across continuously connected networks of small and large arteries. Simulated results exhibited similarities to low dimensional spaceflight simulations and measured data-specifically that blood flow and shear stress decrease towards the lower limbs and increase towards the cerebrovasculature and eyes in response to simulated microgravity, relative to an upright position in Earth gravity.

Longitudinal Assessment of Inflammatory Activity in Acute Type B Aortic Dissection with Integrated Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography/Magnetic Resonance Imaging

OBJECTIVE

The significance of the inflammatory response in the natural course of acute type B aortic dissection (ATBAD) is unknown. The aim was to characterise inflammation and its transformation over time in ATBAD using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) with contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

METHODS

Ten patients underwent FDG-PET/MRI within two weeks of ATBAD (acute phase), three to four months (subacute phase), nine to 12 months (early chronic phase), and 21 to 24 months (late chronic phase) after ATBAD. Target background ratios (TBRs) were measured in the ascending aorta, aortic arch, and descending aorta. MRI inflammatory markers were assessed in the descending aorta.

RESULTS

Ten patients were included: median age 69 years, median clinical follow up 32 months. In the acute phase there was increased FDG uptake in the descending aorta (maximum TBR 5.8, SD [standard deviation] 1.3) compared with the ascending aorta (TBR 3.3, SD 0.8, p < .010) and arch (TBR 4.2, SD 0.6, p = .010). The maximum TBR of the descending aorta decreased from the acute to subacute phase (TBR 3.5, SD 0.6, p = .010) and further to the early chronic phase (TBR 2.9, SD 0.4, p = .030) but was stable thereafter. The acute phase maximum TBR in the ascending aorta (TBR 3.3) and arch (TBR 4.2) decreased to the subacute phase (ascending: TBR 2.8, SD 0.6, p = .020; arch: TBR 2.7, SD 0.4, p = .010) and was stable thereafter. Four patients underwent surgical aortic repair (three for aortic dilatation at one, five, and 28 months and one for visceral ischaemia at three weeks). MRI signs of inflammation were present in all surgically treated patients vs. two of six of medically treated patients (p= .048).

CONCLUSION

ATBAD is associated with increased FDG uptake in the acute phase primarily in the descending aorta, but also involving the aortic arch and ascending aorta, indicating an inflammatory response in the whole aorta. Inflammation subsides early in the ascending aorta and arch (three months), whereas it stabilised later in the descending aorta (nine to 12 months). MRI signs of inflammation were more frequent in patients who later needed surgical treatment and merit further investigation.

Alteration of Blood Oxidative Stress Status in Patients with Thoracic Aortic Dissection: A Pilot Study

BACKGROUND

Thoracic aortic dissection (TAD) is a life-threatening condition which usually occurs on an aneurysmal aortic wall. Although increasing data have shown that inflammation and oxidative stress play an important role in the patho-physiology of dissection, systemic oxidative stress status (OSS) has not been clearly determined in patients suffering from TAD.

METHODS

A cohort of 115 patients presenting type A or B TAD were admitted to our center from 2013 to 2017. Out of this cohort, 46 patients were included in a study on dissected aorta (LIege study on DIssected Aorta: LIDIA). In 18 out of the 46 patients, systemic OSS parameters were evaluated after TAD diagnosis by determination of eight different antioxidants, four trace elements, two markers of oxidative lipid damage and two inflammatory markers.

RESULTS

The 18 TAD patients included 10 men and 8 women (median age: 62 years; interquartile range: 55-68) diagnosed with type A (N = 8) or B (N = 10) TAD. Low plasma levels of vitamin C, β-carotene, γ-tocopherol, thiol proteins, paraoxonase and selenium were observed in these 18 patients. By contrast, the concentration of copper and total hydroperoxides, copper/zinc ratio, as well as inflammatory markers, were higher than the reference intervals. No difference was observed in oxidative stress biomarker concentrations between type A and B TAD patients.

CONCLUSIONS

This pilot study, limited to 18 TAD patients, revealed a heightened systemic OSS, determined at 15.5 days (median) after the initial diagnosis, in those TAD patients without complications (malperfusion syndrome and aneurysm formation). Larger studies on biological fluids are needed to better characterize the oxidative stress and interpret its consequence in TAD disease.

An atypical presentation of aortic dissection: echocardiography for accurate detection

BACKGROUND

Aortic dissection (AD) is a relatively rare but dreadful illness, often accompanied by severe, sharp (or 'tearing') back pain or anterior chest pain, as well as acute hemodynamic compromise. Painless dissection has also been reported in rare cases. Echocardiography has become the most commonly used imaging test for evaluating cardiovascular disease and, thus, plays an important role in aortic disease diagnosis and follow-up.

CASE PRESENTATION

This paper presents the case of a 63-year-old female presenting a chronic cough for more than 30 days, accompanied by chest pain radiating to the left scapula, a history of chronic hypertension, and recent chest x-ray findings of mediastinal mass on the upper left of the aortic knob. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) shows a clear image of a dissection flap on the ascending aorta and abdominal aorta, with a false lumen that is larger than the true lumen and filled with intramural thrombus. A transesophageal echocardiography (TOE) examination performed later shows a clear entry tear near the sinuses of Valsalva directly above the ostium of the right coronary artery (RCA). The patient was diagnosed with AD Stanford A de Bakey Type 1. Computed tomography (CT) focusing on the thoracoabdominal aorta and coronary artery was ordered upon suspicion of RCA ostium obstruction by the dissection flap and to further direct the surgical management. However, later on, the patient refused to undergo surgery, opting instead for conservative medical therapy.

CONCLUSION

The diagnosis of AD is challenging. Our case emphasizes the vital role of TTE in diagnosing AD, particularly in patients with atypical symptoms in which the diagnosis of AD might not be considered. Such missed AD diagnoses can lead to precarious outcomes.

Usefulness of 18F-FDG PET/computed tomography in differentiating between subacute and chronic aortic dissection: initial investigation

OBJECTIVES

In the selection of thoracic endovascular repair for aortic dissection (AD), it is important to distinguish between the subacute and chronic phases, but there is no reliable way to distinguish between them in patients with unknown onset of AD. The purpose of this study was to assess the diagnostic performance of 2-[18F] fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (18F-FDG)-PET/computed tomography (PET/CT) for discriminating subacute AD from chronic AD.

METHODS

Thirteen patients with AD who were medically treated and followed up for 6 months were studied. 18F-FDG PET/CT images were obtained for each patient in the subacute phase (the first scan) and at 6 months (the second scan) after the onset. Target-to-background ratio (TBR) was measured as the maximum standardized uptake value (SUV) in the dissected aortic wall divided by blood pool SUV.

RESULTS

TBR was significantly higher in the first scan (mean ± SD, 1.97 ± 0.32) than in the second scan (1.69 ± 0.29, P = 0.007). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of TBR for discriminating subacute AD from chronic AD was 0.76. With a threshold of 1.74, the TBR showed the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive value of 85%, 69%, 73%, and 82%, respectively, for the discrimination of subacute AD from chronic AD.

CONCLUSION

Metabolic assessment of dissected aortic wall by 18F-FDG PET/CT is useful in differentiating between subacute and chronic AD and can provide important information in determining the appropriate indication for treatment for patients with AD of unknown onset.

Proximal False Lumen Thrombosis is Associated with Low False Lumen Pressure and Fewer Complications in Type B Aortic Dissection

BACKGROUND

Improved risk stratification is a key priority for type B aortic dissection (TBAD). Partial false lumen thrombus morphology is an emerging predictor of complications however, partial thrombosis is poorly defined and its evaluation in clinical studies is inconsistent.

PURPOSE

This work aims to characterise hemodynamic pressure in TBAD and determine how pressure relates to false lumen thrombus morphology and clinical events.

METHODS

Retrospective admission computed tomography angiography of 69 patients with acute TBAD was used to construct three-dimensional computational models for simulation of cyclical blood flow and calculation of pressure. Patients were categorised based on false lumen thrombus morphology: minimal; proximal; distal; or extensive thrombosis. Linear regression analysis compared the luminal pressure difference between the true and false lumen for each morphology group. The impact of morphology classification on acute complications within 14 days was studied using logistic regression adjusted for clinical parameters. A survival analysis for adverse aortic events at one-year was also performed using Cox regression.

RESULTS

44 patients experienced acute complications and 45 had an adverse aortic event at one-year. Mean (±standard deviation) age was 62.6 (±12.6) years and 75.4% were male. Compared to patients with minimal thrombosis, those with proximal thrombosis had reduced false lumen pressure by 10.1mmHg (95% CI 4.3-15.9mmHg, p=.001). Individuals that did not experience an acute complication had reduced relative false lumen pressure (-6.35mmHg vs -0.62mmHg, p=.03). Proximal thrombosis was associated with fewer acute complications (OR 0.17, 95% CI 0.04-0.60 p=.01) and one-year adverse aortic events (HR 0.36, 95% CI 0.16-0.80, p=.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Proximal false lumen thrombosis is a marker of reduced false lumen pressure. This may explain how proximal false lumen thrombosis appears protective of acute complications (refractory hypertension or pain, aortic rupture, visceral or limb malperfusion and acute expansion) and adverse aortic events within the first year.

Can 18Fluoro-deoxy-glukose-Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography be a Useful for Decision of Elective Surgery in Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm

Thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) should be treated before the complications with prophylactic surgery. However, important number of ruptures have been occurred below the cut-off size for surgery. In addition, in some cases, who in the cut-off value limit, decision of surgery may sometimes be difficult. ¹⁸Fluoro-deoxy-glukose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (¹⁸FDG-PET/CT) may useful such situations. We present a case that, TAA in ¹⁸FDG-PET/CT in a patient with larynx carcinoma. He had a TAA with near the cut-off value and increased metabolic activity in baseline imaging. After 3 months, SUV_max value increased and elective surgery was performed. We think that aneurysms may be another pathology that ¹⁸FDG-PET/CT potentially be useful apart from imaging malignant diseases.

Impact of Lymphocyte-Related Blood Parameters on Short- and Long-Term Outcomes of Patients Undergoing Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair

Lymphocyte-related blood parameters (LRBP), including neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio, and lymphocyte-monocyte ratio, could reflect a patient's overall inflammatory status. We aimed to clarify the association between preoperative LRBP and outcomes of type B aortic dissection (TBAD) patients undergoing thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). A total of 841 patients were enrolled from 2010 to 2017. Twenty-six (3.1%) patients died during hospitalization and 71 (8.7%) patients died after a median follow-up of 47.3 months. Multivariate analyses showed that the NLR was the only independent predictor for in-hospital death (odds ratio, 1.15; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09-1.22; P < .001); 4.1 was identified as the optimum threshold for NLR after applying the X-tile program. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to diminish bias and yielded 174 matched pairs. Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio >4.1 was demonstrated to be independently associated with follow-up mortality before (hazard ratio [HR], 2.53; 95% CI, 1.44-4.43; P = .001) and after PSM (HR, 3.11; 95% CI, 1.35-7.15; P = .008). The relationship between LRBP and follow-up reintervention or stroke were not significant (P > .05 for both). Elevated NLR was an independent indicator for in-hospital and follow-up mortality in patients with TBAD undergoing TEVAR; this might provide additional risk stratification.

Acute Aortic Dissection Initially Suspected on 18F-FDG PET/CT

A 64-year-old man with anal cancer underwent follow-up F-FDG PET/CT to evaluate chemoradiation therapy response 5 months after an initial PET/CT. The follow-up F-FDG PET/CT demonstrated new FDG-avid curvilinear soft tissue adjacent to the abdominal aorta, interpreted as an aortic dissection. Despite lack of clinical symptoms, the patient was directed to an emergency room the same day, where a contrast-enhanced CT confirmed an aortic aneurysm with dissection. The patient underwent endovascular surgical repair the following day. This case demonstrates that newly FDG-avid aortic soft tissue should be recognized and may need further evaluation to characterize clinically significant vascular pathology.

Phylogenic Determinants of Cardiovascular Frailty, Focus on Hemodynamics and Arterial Smooth Muscle Cells

The evolution of the circulatory system from invertebrates to mammals has involved the passage from an open system to a closed in-parallel system via a closed in-series system, accompanying the increasing complexity and efficiency of life’s biological functions. The archaic heart enables pulsatile motion waves of hemolymph in invertebrates, and the in-series circulation in fish occurs with only an endothelium, whereas mural smooth muscle cells appear later. The present review focuses on evolution of the circulatory system. In particular, we address how and why this evolution took place from a closed, flowing, longitudinal conductance at low pressure to a flowing, highly pressurized and bifurcating arterial compartment. However, although arterial pressure was the latest acquired hemodynamic variable, the general teleonomy of the evolution of species is the differentiation of individual organ function, supported by specific fueling allowing and favoring partial metabolic autonomy. This was achieved via the establishment of an active contractile tone in resistance arteries, which permitted the regulation of blood supply to specific organ activities via its localized function-dependent inhibition (active vasodilation). The global resistance to viscous blood flow is the peripheral increase in frictional forces caused by the tonic change in arterial and arteriolar radius, which backscatter as systemic arterial blood pressure. Consequently, the arterial pressure gradient from circulating blood to the adventitial interstitium generates the unidirectional outward radial advective conductance of plasma solutes across the wall of conductance arteries. This hemodynamic evolution was accompanied by important changes in arterial wall structure, supported by smooth muscle cell functional plasticity, including contractility, matrix synthesis and proliferation, endocytosis and phagocytosis, etc. These adaptive phenotypic shifts are due to epigenetic regulation, mainly related to mechanotransduction. These paradigms actively participate in cardio-arterial pathologies such as atheroma, valve disease, heart failure, aneurysms, hypertension, and physiological aging.

Vascular findings on FDG PET/CT

Since its introduction into clinical practice, 2-deoxy-2-[18F]flu-D-glucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) has become firmly established in the field of oncological imaging, with a growing body of evidence demonstrating its use in infectious and inflammatory vascular pathologies. This pictorial review illustrates the utility of FDG PET/CT as a diagnostic tool in the investigation of vascular disease and highlights some of the more common incidental vascular findings that PET reporters may encounter on standard oncology FDG PET/CTs, including atherosclerosis, large vessel vasculitis, complications of vascular grafts, infectious aortitis and acute aortic syndromes.

Imaging and Biomarkers in Acute Aortic Syndromes: Diagnostic and Prognostic Implications

Acute aortic syndrome (AAS) is an emergency and life-threatening condition including aortic dissection, intramural hematoma, penetrating atherosclerotic ulcer and iatrogenic-traumatic aortic injury. An integrated multiparametric approach (clinical history and examination, electrocardiogram, biomarkers and imaging techniques) is recommended in order to make timely and accurate diagnosis, delineate the prognosis, choose the most appropriate therapeutic interventions tailored for the individual patient. Nowadays the best imaging strategy for diagnosing AAS and its complications is a combination of transthoracic echocardiography and computed tomography angiography (CTA). Transesophageal echocardiography tends to be carried out in complicated cases prior to surgical or endovascular therapy, often in the operating room and under general anesthesia. In this regard, intravascular ultrasound and intraluminal phase array imaging may be implemented during the endovascular procedures depending on operator expertise and cost issues. On the other hand, owing to its intrinsic characteristics, magnetic resonance imaging is an ideal imaging technique for serial measurements in patients at risk of AAS or with chronic dissection. Among biomarkers, D-dimer is the closest to "golden status" (high sensitivity and low negative likelihood ratio). Interestingly, 18fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/CT is increasingly being used along with specific serologic biomarkers (white blood cells, C-reactive protein, fibrinogen and D-dimer) to detect and monitor vascular inflammation affecting the aorta and systemic arteries. It is expected, in the near future, the development of serologic and imaging biomarkers able to early detect clinically-silent pathologic changes in the aorta wall before (primary prevention) and after (secondary prevention) the acute index event.

Persistence of Intraluminal Thrombus Makes Saccular Aneurysm More Biologically Active than Fusiform in an Experimental Rat Model

INTRODUCTION

Saccular aneurysms are thought to have a worse prognosis than fusiform aneurysms in humans, due to hemodynamic reasons. However, data comparing hemodynamic and biology in saccular and fusiform aneurysms are lacking. The main objective was to evaluate the impact of aneurysm morphology on intra-luminal thrombus (ILT) formation and activity.

METHODS

Forty Lewis rats were ran-domly divided into 2 groups of 20: "saccular" (Group A) and "fusiform" (Group B) aneurysms. Decellularized thoracic aortas from guinea pigs were xenografted to create saccular or fusiform aneurysms. Final imaging evaluation of the aneurysms was carried out during the third week, by quantitative Doppler ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging. Assays of myeloperoxidase (MPO), platelet factor 4 (PF4), advanced oxidation protein products (AOPPs) iron and matrix metallopeptidase-9 (MMP-9) were performed as biological criteria.

RESULTS

Quantitatively, saccular aneurysms are characterized by a more thicker ILT, lower inflow velocities and more important relative backflow velocities as compared to fusiform aneurysms. Compared to fusiform, saccular aneurysms released significantly more MPO (p = 0.004), PF4 (p = 0.02), AOPPs (p < 0.002), iron (p < 0.0001) and MMP-9 (p < 0.04).

CONCLUSION

Experimental saccular and fusiform aneurysms show differential specific hemodynamics, which seem to impact the histology and the biology of the ILT in each type of aneurysm.

Acute aortic syndromes: diagnosis and management, an update

Acute aortic syndromes (AAS) encompass a constellation of life-threatening medical conditions including classic acute aortic dissection (AAD), intramural haematoma, and penetrating atherosclerotic aortic ulcer. Given the non-specific symptoms and physical signs, a high clinical index of suspicion is necessary to detect the disease before irreversible lethal complications occur. In order to reduce the diagnostic time delay, a comprehensive flowchart for decision-making based on pre-test sensitivity of AAS has been designed by the European Society of Cardiology guidelines on aortic diseases and should be thus applied in the emergency scenario. When the definitive diagnosis is made, prompt and appropriate therapeutic interventions should be undertaken if indicated by a highly specialized aortic team. Urgent surgery for AAD involving the ascending aorta (Type A) and medical therapy alone for AAD not involving the ascending aorta (Type B) are typically recommended. In complicated Type B AAD, thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) is generally indicated. On the other hand, in uncomplicated Type B AAD, pre-emptive TEVAR rather than medical therapy alone to prevent late complications, while intuitive, requires further study in randomized cohorts. Finally, it should be highlighted that there is an urgent need to increase awareness of AAS worldwide, including dedicated education/prevention programmes, and to improve diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, outcomes, and lifelong surveillance.

From genetics to response to injury: vascular smooth muscle cells in aneurysms and dissections of the ascending aorta

Vascular smooth muscle cells (vSMCs) play a crucial role in both the pathogenesis of Aneurysms and Dissections of the ascending thoracic aorta (TAAD) in humans and in the associated adaptive compensatory responses, since thrombosis and inflammatory processes are absent in the majority of cases. Aneurysms and dissections share numerous characteristics, including aetiologies and histopathological alterations: vSMC disappearance, medial areas of mucoid degeneration, and extracellular matrix (ECM) breakdown. Three aetiologies predominate in TAAD in humans: (i) genetic causes in heritable familial forms, (ii) an association with bicuspid aortic valves, and (iii) a sporadic degenerative form linked to the aortic aging process. Genetic forms include mutations in vSMC genes encoding for molecules of the ECM or the TGF-β pathways, or participating in vSMC tone. On the other hand, aneurysms and dissections, whatever their aetiologies, are characterized by an increase in wall permeability leading to transmural advection of plasma proteins which could interact with vSMCs and ECM components. In this context, blood-borne plasminogen appears to play an important role, because its outward convection through the wall is increased in TAAD, and it could be converted to active plasmin at the vSMC membrane. Active plasmin can induce vSMC disappearance, proteolysis of adhesive proteins, activation of MMPs and release of TGF-β from its ECM storage sites. Conversely, vSMCs could respond to aneurysmal biomechanical and proteolytic injury by an epigenetic phenotypic switch, including constitutional overexpression and nuclear translocation of Smad2 and an increase in antiprotease and ECM protein synthesis. In contrast, such an epigenetic phenomenon is not observed in dissections. In this context, dysfunction of proteins involved in vSMC tone are interesting to study, particularly in interaction with plasma protein transport through the wall and TGF-β activation, to establish the relationship between these dysfunctions and ECM proteolysis.

Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography Predicts and Detects Complications After Endovascular Repair of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms

Purpose: To assess if aortic 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake on positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) could play a role in predicting complications after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). Materials and Methods: This study involved 2 cohorts of men with abdominal aortic aneurysm treated by EVAR: those who underwent a PET/CT scan before EVAR (n=17) and those who had a PET/CT during follow-up (n=34). Uptake of FDG was measured as the standardized uptake value (SUV). D-dimer, a marker of fibrinolysis, was measured in blood drawn concomitantly with the PET/CT. Results: A significant uptake of FDG in the aneurysm wall was detected by PET/CT before EVAR in 6 of 17 patients. During the first year after EVAR, type II endoleaks developed in 5 of these FDG+ patients vs 3 of 11 FDG- patients (p=0.04). Two of the FDG+ patients had continued sac growth and required conversion to open repair. A significant association between sac growth rate, SUV, and the presence of endoleak was found in the 34 patients who underwent PET/CT after EVAR. Finally, D-dimer was significantly increased in patients with both endoleak and positive PET/CT in the post-EVAR group. Conclusion: This study suggests that the presence of FDG uptake in the aortic wall might be a useful tool to predict patients at high risk of developing post-EVAR complications.

Systemic inflammatory response syndromes in the era of interventional cardiology

Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), initially reported after cardiovascular surgery, has been described after various interventional cardiology procedures, including endovascular/thoracic aortic repair (EVAR/TEVAR), implantation of heart rhythm devices, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), electrophysiology procedures (EP), and transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). In these settings, a comprehensive understanding of the triggers, pathogenesis as well as a common diagnostic/therapeutic algorithm is lacking and will be discussed in this review. SIRS occurs in about 40% and 50% of patients undergoing TEVAR/EVAR and TAVI respectively; it affects 0.1% of patients undergoing implantation of heart rhythm devices. Prevalence is unknown after PCI or EP. Clinical presentation includes fever, dyspnoea/tachypnoea, tachycardia, weakness, chest pain and pericardial/pleural effusion. Several triggers can be identified, related to implanted devices, biomaterial, and procedural aspects (prolonged hypotension, aneurysm thrombus manipulation, active fixation atrial leads, coronary microembolization, balloon dilatation/stent implantantation, contrast medium, coronary/myocardial microperforation). Nonetheless, these triggers share three main pathogenic pathways leading to SIRS clinical manifestations: leucocytes activation, endothelial injury/activation, and myocardial/pericardial injury. Therapy consists of non-steroidal agents, with corticosteroids as second-line treatment in non-responders. Although a benign evolution is reported after implantation of heart rhythm devices, PCI and EP, major adverse events may occur after EVAR/TEVAR and TAVI at short- and mid-term follow up.

Relationship between serum cortisol level and degree of false lumen thrombosis in patients with uncomplicated type B aortic dissection

Partial thrombosis of the false lumen in uncomplicated type B aortic dissection (uTBAD) is associated with an increased late mortality risk. Whether the serum cortisol level can affect false lumen thrombosis in patients with uTBAD has not been well characterized. This study was performed on 87 patients with uTBAD. A curve-fitting method was used to analyze the relationship between serum cortisol and partial thrombosis of false lumen. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify false lumen partial thrombosis–associated serum cortisol. Curve-fitting’s result revealed a characteristic U shape, and 14.0 µg/dL was considered as the cutoff point for serum cortisol. The results of univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses suggested that when trisecting the serum cortisol level into three parts, the low and high levels of serum cortisol could significantly affect the occurrence of false lumen partial thrombosis compared with the middle level. The odds ratio value of the low and high levels of serum cortisol was 6.12 and 4.65, respectively, in the univariate analysis, and 24.32 and 3.93, respectively, in the multivariate analysis. Low or high levels of serum cortisol might influence the natural result of uTBAD through affecting the false lumen thrombosis.

Update on the Therapeutic Strategy of Type B Aortic Dissection

Stanford type B aortic dissection (TBAD) is a life-threatening disease. Current therapeutic guidelines recommend medical therapy with aggressive blood pressure lowering for patients with acute TBAD unless they have fatal complications. Although patients with uncomplicated TBAD have relatively low early mortality, aorta-related adverse events during the chronic phase worsen the long-term clinical outcome. Recent advances in thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) can improve clinical outcomes in patients with both complicated and uncomplicated TBAD. According to present guidelines, complicated TBAD patients are recommended for TEVAR. However, the indication in uncomplicated TBAD remains controversial. Recent results of randomized trials, which compared the clinical outcome in patients treated with optimal medical therapy and those treated with TEVAR, suggest that preemptive TEVAR should be considered in uncomplicated TBAD with suitable aortic anatomy. However, these trials failed to show improvement in early mortality in patients treated with TEVAR compared with patients treated with optimal medical therapy, which suggest the importance of patient selection for TEVAR. Several clinical and imaging-related risk factors have been shown to be associated with early disease progression. Preemptive TEVAR might be beneficial and should be considered for high-risk patients with uncomplicated TBAD. However, an interdisciplinary consensus has not been established for the definition of patients at high-risk of TBAD, and it should be confirmed by experts including physicians, radiologists, interventionalists, and vascular surgeons. This review summarizes the current understanding of the therapeutic strategy in patients with TBAD based on evidence and expert consensus.

Hemodynamic parameters that may predict false-lumen growth in type-B aortic dissection after endovascular repair: A preliminary study on long-term multiple follow-ups

Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) is commonly applied in type-B aortic dissection. For patients with dissection affects descending aorta and extends downward to involve abdominal aorta and possibly iliac arteries, false lumen (FL) expansion might occur post-TEVAR. Predictions of dissection development may assist in medical decision on re-intervention or surgery. In this study, two patients are selected with similar morphological features at initial presentation but with different long-term FL development post-TEVAR (stable and enlarged FL). Patient-specific models are established for each of the follow-ups. Flow boundaries and computational validations are obtained from Doppler ultrasound velocimetry. By analyzing the hemodynamic parameters, the false-to-true luminal pressure difference (PDiff) and particle relative residence time (RRT) are found related to FL remodeling. It is found that (i) the position of the first FL flow entry is the watershed of negative-and-positive PDiff and, in long-term follow-ups, and the position of largest PDiff is consistent with that of the greatest increase of FL width; (ii) high RRT occurs at the FL proximal tip and similar magnitude of RRT is found in both stable and enlarged cases; (iii) comparing to the RRT at 7days post-TEVAR, an increase of RRT afterwards in short-term is found in the stable case while a slight decrease of this parameter is found in the enlarged case, indicating that the variation of RRT in short-term post-TEVAR might be potential to predict long-term FL remodeling.

Aortic dissection

Aortic dissection is a life-threatening condition caused by a tear in the intimal layer of the aorta or bleeding within the aortic wall, resulting in the separation (dissection) of the layers of the aortic wall. Aortic dissection is most common in those 65-75 years of age, with an incidence of 35 cases per 100,000 people per year in this population. Other risk factors include hypertension, dyslipidaemia and genetic disorders that involve the connective tissue, such as Marfan syndrome. Swift diagnostic confirmation and adequate treatment are crucial in managing affected patients. Contemporary management is multidisciplinary and includes serial non-invasive imaging, biomarker testing and genetic risk profiling for aortopathy. The choice of approach for repairing or replacing the damaged region of the aorta depends on the severity and the location of the dissection and the risks of complication from surgery. Open surgical repair is most commonly used for dissections involving the ascending aorta and the aortic arch, whereas minimally invasive endovascular intervention is appropriate for descending aorta dissections that are complicated by rupture, malperfusion, ongoing pain, hypotension or imaging features of high risk. Recent advances in the understanding of the underlying pathophysiology of aortic dissection have led to more patients being considered at substantial risk of complications and, therefore, in need of endovascular intervention rather than only medical or surgical intervention.

False Lumen Embolization to Treat Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation After Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair of Type B Aortic Dissection

Purpose: To present a rare case of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) after thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) and its novel treatment. Case Report: A 55-year-old man presented with DIC 10 months after TEVAR for chronic type B aortic dissection and descending thoracic aortic aneurysm. He had persistent retrograde flow in the false lumen with a stable aneurysm diameter. The false lumen was embolized with multiple Amplatzer plugs, which promoted false lumen thrombosis. Laboratory evaluation on postoperative day 7 demonstrated resolution of the coagulopathy. Follow-up at 18 months revealed no recurrent DIC; computed tomography angiography showed a stable aortic diameter and excluded thoracic aneurysm sac. Conclusion: This case demonstrates an unusual, potentially fatal postoperative complication of endovascular treatment of type B aortic dissections successfully treated with an innovative endovascular solution.

Modern diagnostics for type B aortic dissection

Background

Undifferentiated chest pain is one of the most common complaints in the acute care setting. Type B aortic dissection is an important cause of chest pain and a complex clinical entity, which carries significant morbidity and mortality and requires accurate clinical and radiological evaluation.

Methods

Imaging technologies have become an irreplaceable tool to establish the diagnosis of aortic dissection and to plan treatment strategies. Computed tomography is an important component in this process, replacing catheter-based angiography as the most commonly used preoperative and postoperative imaging modality for the thoracic aorta. The use of functional imaging methods, such as magnetic resonance imaging and echocardiography is evolving. These methods are able to provide the clinically relevant anatomical, hemodynamic and biomechanical information that is necessary for accurate diagnosis, risk stratification and patient selection for treatment.

Conclusion

Advanced image acquisition equipment and expertise are increasingly available in a growing number of institutions and as a consequence, existing strategies for the management of type B dissection are rapidly evolving.