Incidence and risk factors of recurrent pain in acute aortic dissection and in-hospital mortality.

BACKGROUND: We investigated the prevalence of recurrent pain and its relationship with in-hospital mortality in acute aortic dissection (AAD).

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 2011 and 2016, 234 AAD patients were selected. Recurrent pain was defined as a mean of VAS > 3, within 48 hours following hospital admission or before emergency operation. Patients with and without recurrent pain were divided into group I and group II, respectively into type A AAD and type B AAD patients. Our primary outcome was in-hospital mortality.

RESULTS: The incidence of recurrent pain was 24.4 % in AAD patients. Incidence of recurrent pain was higher in type A AAD patients than type B AAD patients (48.9 vs. 9.6 %). Overall in-hospital mortality was 25.6 %. Type A AAD had a higher in-hospital mortality than type B AAD patients (47.7 vs. 12.3 %). Group I had significantly higher in-hospital mortality than group II (type A: 79.1 vs. 17.8 %; type B: 57.1 vs. 7.6 %, all P < 0.001), as was the case with medical managed patients (type A: 72.1 vs. 13.3 %; type B: 35.7 vs. 2.3 %, all P < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis showed that use of one drug alone and waist pain were predictive factors for recurrent pain in type A AAD and type A AAD patients, respectively (OR 3.686, 95 % CI: 1.103~12.316, P = 0.034 and OR 14.010, 95 % CI: 2.481~79.103, P = 0.003). Recurrent pains were the risk factors (type A: OR 11.096, 95 % CI: 3.057~40.280, P < 0.001; type B: OR 14.412, 95 % CI: 3.662~56.723, P < 0.001), while invasive interventions were protective (type A: OR 0.133, 95 % CI: 0.035~0.507, P < 0.001; type B: OR 0.334, 95 % CI: 0.120~0.929, P = 0.036) for in-hospital mortality in AAD patients.

CONCLUSIONS: Approximately one-fourth of AAD patients presented with recurrent pains, which might increase in-hospital mortality. Thus, interventional strategies at early stages are important.