26 Aug Aortic Dissections Tend To Occur Around Same Age in Families

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:

Dr. John Elefteriades

John A. Elefteriades, MD
William W.L. Glenn Professor of Surgery
Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery
Yale New-Haven Hospital
Director, Aortic Institute at Yale-New Haven
Yale University School of Medicine

MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?

Response: In the late 1990’s, Dr. Milewicz’s group in Texas and our group at Yale recognized that thoracic aortic aneurysms and aortic dissections (internal tears of the aorta) ran in families.

This paper explores for the first time the ages at which aortic dissections occur among members within a family. Interestingly, we found that once one family member has suffered an aortic dissection, other family members tend to suffer dissection at about the same age (mostly within ten years of the age of the original dissector).

MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?

Response:  If there is a thoracic aortic dissection in your family, be sure to be checked. An echocardiogram is a good start. A CT scan may be appropriate as well. Genetic testing is also feasible.

Also, without a confirmed history of aortic dissection in the family, if there has been an unexpected sudden death of a family member, especially at a young age, you should suspect that this may have been from aortic dissection. Recent data from Japan suggests that a staggering 7% of sudden deaths are due to aortic dissection. You should consider having an echocardiogram to be sure you do not harbor a silent aneurysm.

For physicians, cardiologists, and cardiac surgeons, we recommend that surgical resection be strongly considered for any patient with ascending aortic aneurysm when there is a confirmed history of aortic dissection in a family member, especially as that family member approaches the age of a prior dissection event in the family.

MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?

Response:  We intend to expand our study to more patients and families. Our whole exome sequencing program (also known as WES, one of the Next Generations Sequencing techniques) is unlocking specific details of inheritance of thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections. These advanced genetic techniques are enhancing the detection of silent thoracic aneurysms in family members and informing the decisions for surgical intervention better than ever before.

MedicalResearch.com: Is there anything else you would like to add?

Response:  Patients should remember that in 95% of cases, a thoracic aneurysm will be silent, producing no symptoms whatsoever, until a tear occurs. If there is a family history of aneurysm disease, get checked.

Citation:

Chou A, Ma W, Mok S, Ziganshin B, Peterss S, Rizzo J, Tranquilli M, and Elefteriades J. Do Familial Aortic Dissections Tend to Occur at the Same Age? Annals of Thoracic Surgery, August 2016 DOI:10.1016/j.athoracsur.2016.06.007

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Last Updated on August 26, 2016 by Marie Benz MD FAAD