Stable haemodynamics associated with no significant electrocardiogram abnormalities is a good prognostic factor of survival for acute type A aortic dissection repair

Acute type A aortic dissection (AAD) is a medical emergency with high mortality even with emergency repair. We explored the prognostic factors of in-hospital mortality for AAD repair. One hundred and thirty-three consecutive patients operated on for AAD between 1997 and 2011 were enrolled in our study. They were assigned to the in-hospital mortality or the survival group. We evaluated 101 variables to predict in-hospital mortality. All data were collected retrospectively. The 30-day mortality, including intraoperative deaths, was 12.8% (17/133 patients) and in-hospital mortality was 18.0% (24/133). Univariate analysis disclosed 10 significant prognostic factors. Multivariate analysis confirmed that preoperative shock or hypotension (odds ratio (OR) = 4.71; P = 0.004), an initial 24 h of bleeding > 1500 ml (OR = 5.17; P = 0.01) and age >= 75 years (OR = 3.70; P = 0.019) were independent prognostic factors of in-hospital mortality. On the contrary, an electrocardiogram (ECG) showing no abnormalities (OR = 0.22; P = 0.008) is a good prognostic factor for survival. Interestingly, patients with stable haemodynamics without abnormal ECG findings had an excellent result of 1.6% (1/63) in-hospital mortality. Stable haemodynamics and no significant abnormal ECG findings predicted excellent in-hospital survival. Cardiac surgeons and cardiologists should be aware of these positive predictors when treating patients diagnosed with AAD.