Left Ventricular Hypertrophy Is More Prevalent in Type B than Type A Aortic Dissection.

Objectives: Several factors determining differences between types A and B aortic dissection (AD) have been reported; however, little data exist examining their differences in left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). We compared the prevalence of LVH in patients with types A and B AD.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 334 patients with acute AD (227 type A; 107 type B). Concentric hypertrophy (CH; increased left ventricular mass index [LVMI] and relative wall thickness [RWT]) is one of four types of left ventricular (LV) geometry thought to be most associated with hypertension. We compared LVMI and the prevalence of CH in patients with types A or B AD. Multivariate logistic regression analyses of variables associated with type B AD were performed.

Results: Comparing type A and B AD, LVMI (95 ± 26 vs.107 ± 28, p <0.001) and prevalence of CH (26% vs. 44%, p = 0.001) were higher in type B AD. In multivariate analysis, CH was an independent factor associated with type B AD (odds ratio: 2.62, confidence interval: 1.54-4.47, p <0.001).

Conclusions: Our data suggested LVH was more prevalent in type B than in type A AD. Considering LVH usually results from hypertension, patients with type B AD may be more affected by hypertension than those with type A.