Aortic dissection in children and young adults: diagnosis, patients at risk, and outcomes.

Objective: To heighten the awareness of pediatricians and pediatric cardiologists to aortic dissection, a potentially dangerous medical condition.

Methods: We reviewed the charts of 13 patients, seen in four medical centers, who suffered acute or chronic aortic dissection over the period 1970 through 2000 whilst under the age of 25 years.

Results: There were seven male and six female patients, with the mean age at diagnosis being 12.