Sex-related differences in the clinical course of aortic root and ascending aortic aneurysms: the DisSEXion Study

To explore male–female differences in aneurysm growth and clinical outcomes in a two-centre retrospective Dutch cohort study of adult patients with ascending aortic aneurysm (AscAA).

Adult patients in whom imaging of an AscAA (root and/or ascending: ≥40 mm) was performed between 2007 and 2022 were included. Aneurysm growth was analysed using repeated measurements at the sinuses of Valsalva (SoV) and tubular ascending aorta. Male–female differences were explored in presentation, aneurysm characteristics, treatment strategy, survival, and clinical outcomes.

One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight patients were included (31.6% female). Median age at diagnosis was 65.4 years (interquartile range: 53.4–71.7) for females and 59.0 years (interquartile range: 49.3–68.0) for males (P < .001). At diagnosis, females more often had tubular ascending aortic involvement (75.5% vs. 70.2%; P = .030) while males more often had SoV involvement (42.8% vs. 21.6%; P < .001). Maximum absolute aortic diameter, at any location, at diagnosis did not differ between females (45.0 mm) and males (46.5 mm; P = .388). In females, tubular ascending growth was faster (P < .001), whereas in males, SoV growth was faster (P = .005), corrected for covariates. Unadjusted 10-year survival was 72.5% [95% confidence interval (CI) 67.8%–77.6%] for females and 78.3% (95% CI 75.3%–81.3%) for males (P = .010). Twenty-three type A dissections occurred, with an incidence rate of 8.2/1000 patient-years (95% CI 4.4–14.1) in females and 2.4/1000 patient-years (95% CI 1.2–4.5) in males [incidence rate ratio females/males: 3.4 (95% CI 1.5–8.0; P = .004)].

In patients having entered a diagnostic programme, involvement of aortic segments and age- and segment-related growth patterns differ between women and men with AscAA, particularly at an older age. Unravelling of these intertwined observations will provide a deeper understanding of AscAA progression and outcome in women and men and can be used as an evidence base for patient-tailored clinical guideline development.