Long-term outcome of aortic dissection with patent false lumen: predictive role of entry tear size and location.

Background: Patent false lumen in aortic dissection has been associated with poor prognosis. We aimed to assess the natural evolution of this condition and predictive factors.

Methods And Results: One hundred eighty-four consecutive patients, 108 surgically treated type A and 76 medically treated type B, were discharged after an acute aortic dissection with patent false lumen.

Role of the nuclear receptor coactivator AIB1/SRC-3 in angiogenesis and wound healing.

The nuclear receptor coactivator amplified in breast cancer 1 (AIB1/SRC-3) has a well-defined role in steroid and growth factor signaling in cancer and normal epithelial cells. Less is known about its function in stromal cells, although AIB1/SRC-3 is up-regulated in tumor stroma and may, thus, contribute to tumor angiogenesis. Herein, we show that AIB1/SRC-3 depletion from cultured endothelial cells reduces their proliferation and motility in response to growth factors and prevents the formation of intact monolayers with tight junctions and of endothelial tubes.

Prognostic value of clinical and morphologic findings in short-term evolution of aortic intramural haematoma. Therapeutic implications.

Aims: Intramural haematoma (IMH) forms part of the acute aortic syndrome presenting physiopathologic and evolutive patterns different from those of aortic dissection. The aim of this study was to determine the mortality and predictive factors of IMH in the first 3 months of evolution.

Methods And Results: Sixty-eight consecutive patients diagnosed of IMH (12 type A, 56 type B) were prospectively studied.

Obstructive sleep apnea and thoracic aorta dissection.

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a process that is associated with the development of arterial hypertension, the main risk factor for aortic dissection and during obstructive episodes of the upper airways with marked increases in transmural pressure of the aorta wall. The aim of this work was to study the association between aortic dissection and OSAS. Nineteen consecutive patients with thoracic aorta dissection and 19 hypertensive patients of similar age, sex, and body mass index were studied by clinical questionnaire and polysomnography.

Long-term follow-up of aortic intramural hematoma: predictors of outcome.

Background: Aortic intramural hematoma (IMH) evolves very dynamically in the short-term to regression, dissection, or aortic rupture. The aim of the present study was to assess the long-term clinical and morphological evolution of medically treated IMH.

Methods And Results: Fifty of 68 consecutive patients with aortic IMH monitored clinically and by imaging techniques at 3, 6, and 12 months and annually thereafter were prospectively studied.