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. 2013:2013:192459.
doi: 10.1155/2013/192459. Epub 2013 Jul 21.

Aortic dissection type A in alpine skiers

Thomas Schachner  1 , Nikolaus Fischler, Julia Dumfarth, Nikolaos Bonaros, Christoph Krapf, Wolfgang Schobersberger, Michael Grimm
Affiliations

Aortic dissection type A in alpine skiers

Thomas Schachner et al. Biomed Res Int. 2013.

Abstract

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.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Altitude above sea level of the place of permanent residency and of the place where aortic dissection occurred in 17 skiers. Note the marker of the single Tyrolean skier among 17 skiing-associated aortic dissections type A whose place of living was at an altitude of 853 meters.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Frequency of skiing-associated aortic dissection type A among the different months during the winter season.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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