Comparison of Medically Versus Surgically Treated Acute Type A Aortic Dissection in Patients <80 Years Old Versus Patients ≥80 Years Old

Although recent progress in emergency surgery has resulted in an increase in the indication for older patients with acute type A aortic dissection (AAD), some patients remain who cannot undergo surgical treatment and little is known about the prognosis of patients with AAD who receive medical treatment, especially in elderly patients. Of the 82 patients with AAD who were admitted to our institution, 48 received medical therapy only. We retrospectively reviewed their clinical data and analyzed the prognostic value of the clinical characteristics in both younger and older patients. The in-hospital and 1-year mortality were significantly lower in the patients who underwent surgical treatment than in those who received medical treatment (6% vs 65%, p <0.001; 8% vs 73%, p <0.001, respectively). Of the patients with medical treatment, the in-hospital and 1-year mortality rate in the younger (<80 years old, n = 27) and older (≥80 years old, n = 21) groups was 70% and 80% and 57% and 65%, respectively. For the younger group, the presence of an open false lumen was significantly associated with in-hospital mortality (89% vs 50%, p = 0.044). In contrast, in the older group, a lower serum albumin level (3.4 ± 0.3 vs 4.0 ± 0.5 g/dl, p = 0.010) and the incidence of an open false lumen (83% vs 33%, p = 0.032) were significantly associated with in-hospital mortality. In conclusion, in addition to an open false lumen as a risk factor, a lower serum albumin level is an important prognostic factor in older patients with AAD.