TY - JOUR A2 - Anderson, Jeffrey L. AU - Schachner, Thomas AU - Fischler, Nikolaus AU - Dumfarth, Julia AU - Bonaros, Nikolaos AU - Krapf, Christoph AU - Schobersberger, Wolfgang AU - Grimm, Michael PY - 2013 DA - 2013/07/21 TI - Aortic Dissection Type A in Alpine Skiers SP - 192459 VL - 2013 AB - Patients and Methods. 140 patients with aortic dissection type A were admitted for cardiac surgery. Seventy-seven patients experienced their dissection in the winter season (from November to April). We analyzed cases of ascending aortic dissection associated with alpine skiing. Results. In 17 patients we found skiing-related aortic dissections. Skiers were taller (180 (172–200) cm versus 175 (157–191) cm, P=0.008) and heavier (90 (68–125) kg versus 80 (45–110) kg, P=0.002) than nonskiers. An extension of aortic dissection into the aortic arch, the descending thoracic aorta, and the abdominal aorta was found in 91%, 74%, and 69%, respectively, with no significant difference between skiers and nonskiers. Skiers experienced RCA ostium dissection requiring CABG in 17.6% while this was true for 5% of nonskiers (P=0.086). Hospital mortality of skiers was 6% versus 13% in nonskiers (P=0.399). The skiers live at an altitude of 170 (0–853) m.a.s.l. and experience their dissection at 1602 (1185–3105; P<0.001) m.a.s.l. In 82% symptom start was during recreational skiing without any trauma. Conclusion. Skiing associated aortic dissection type A is usually nontraumatic. The persons affected live at low altitudes and practice an outdoor sport at unusual high altitude at cold temperatures. Postoperative outcome is good. SN - 2314-6133 UR - https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/192459 DO - 10.1155/2013/192459 JF - BioMed Research International PB - Hindawi Publishing Corporation KW - ER -