Genetic Architecture of Acute Aortic Syndromes and Aortic Aneurysm.

The aim of this study is to explore the genetic information associated with the development of TAA and aAD in individuals without history or syndromic features (Marfan syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Turner syndrome etc.) for aortic disease. For this purpose, whole genome sequencing will be performed in patients with documented aortic aneurysm or/and aortic dissection.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm; Acute Aortic Dissection

Detailed Description

Acute aortic dissection (aAD) is a life-threatening condition, associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The incidence of aAD has been estimated to occur at a rate of 6-7 cases per 100.000 persons per year and is associated with high mortality. With the increasing availability of computed tomography scan (CT) in emergency settings, the diagnosis of aAD was increasing in past decades, increasing up to 17 cases per 100.000 persons per year. Acute aortic event is associated with a high mortality rate ranging from 26% in surgically treated patients to 58% in medically treated patients.

Thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) is a well-established risk factor for aAD but it is not a prerequisite. Recent evidence suggests that almost 90% of aAD's occur mostly in younger patients with aortic dimensions of <5.5 cm and only 5% of patients with diagnosed TAA are symptomatic prior to dissection or rupture.

The majority of aAD patients are misdiagnosed, which puts them at a higher risk of death. Timely diagnosis and surgical management of patients with TAA prior to aAD reduces the risk of complications and death. Therefore, there is an unmet need for better and more refined risk prediction tools to identify high-risk patients with TAA, who may benefit from early screening and tuned surgical intervention.

Previous studies found that more than 20% of patients with TAA report a positive family history, and the genetics of thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection has been extensively investigated as a potential tool for both diagnosis and risk stratification.

Traditionally, TAA is divided into syndromic-with other organ system abnormalities other than the aorta-and non-syndromic-with no systemic abnormalities present. Several monogenic causes for syndromic TAA are well described, such as Marfan syndrome (MFS), Loeys-Dietz syndrome (LDS), and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). However, the non-syndromic TAA and aAD are more prevalent, and identifying these patients can be challenging. Some evidence exist that mutations of genes observed in syndromic patients may be involved in TAA and aAD in non-syndromic patients. The fact that approximately 20% of non-syndromic TAA patients have at least one affected family member indicates that TAA could be a heritable disease and there might be a genetic link in non-syndromic patients.

Given the inherent challenges in the diagnosis of the TAA as a precursor of aAD in non-syndromic patients, there is a clinical need for the development of an accurate risk prediction tools. To address the mentioned clinically relevant question, in an observational cohort study of patients with aortic disease a molecular genetic investigation will be conducted to investigate the genetic architecture of TAA and individuals at high risk for aAD, and to use this information to propose patient specific risk assessment and individually tailored management and therapy. This data will be coupled to the routinely collected standard clinical and imaging data including computed tomography angiography (CTA), perioperative transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) and transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) with the aim to further refine risk stratification in aAD/TAA patients.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Estimated): 730

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Denis Berdajs, Prof. Dr.; Phone Number: 0041 61 328 71 80; Email: denis.berdajs@usb.ch
• Study Contact Backup: Name: Islam Salikhanov, Dr.; Phone Number: 0041 61 26 53225; Email: islam.salikhanov@usb.ch

Study Locations

• Switzerland
  • Basel, Switzerland, 4031
    • Recruiting
    • University Hospital Basel
    • Contact: Denis Berdajs, Prof. Dr.; Phone Number: 0041 61 328 71 80; Email: denis.berdajs@usb.ch
    • Contact: Islam Salikhanov, Dr.; Phone Number: 0041 61 26 53225; Email: islam.salikhanov@usb.ch

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Patients with surgical aAD or TAA intervention performed at the Unversity Hospital Basel between 2015 and 2028.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• All adult patients > 18 years who underwent surgery for aAD or TAA intervention at the University Hospital Basel, starting in 2015.
• All patients who will undergo surgery for aAD or TAA at the University Hospital Basel, beginning in 2024.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients will be excluded if they are not able or not willing to provide informed consent.
• Patients with diagnosed heritable vascular disorders, such as Marfan syndrome, Turner Syndrome, Loeyes Dietz and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Assessment of the association between the prevalence of TAA and/or aAD in variants with genes associated with thoracic aortic disease.	Assessment of the association between the prevalence of TAA and/or aAD in variants with genes associated with thoracic aortic disease.	Baseline to last follow-up visit (up to 4 years)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Investigate the genetic landscape of aortic specimens retrieved from surgical intervention tissues, and relate the genetic profile to cell molecular pathology.	Investigate the genetic landscape of aortic specimens retrieved from surgical intervention tissues, and relate the genetic profile to cell molecular pathology.	Baseline to last follow-up visit (up to 4 years)
To assess the association between the aortic segment dimension (in CT scan and TEE images), tissue pathology and gene variants to determine the images predictive factors for TAA and/or aAD.	To assess the association between the aortic segment dimension (in CT scan and TEE images), tissue pathology and gene variants to determine the images predictive factors for TAA and/or aAD.	Baseline to last follow-up visit (up to 4 years)
To establish a risk prediction model for aAD and TAA based on genetic, clinical, and imaging endpoints.	To establish a risk prediction model for aAD and TAA based on genetic, clinical, and imaging endpoints.	Baseline to last follow-up visit (up to 4 years)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Denis Berdajs, Prof. Dr., University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): April 8, 2024
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2028
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2028

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 2, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 2, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): April 9, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 16, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 15, 2025
• Last Verified: May 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Dissection, Blood Vessel; Vascular Diseases; Cardiovascular Diseases; Aortic Diseases; Acute Aortic Syndrome; Aneurysm; Aortic Aneurysm; Aortic Dissection; Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2023-02267; kt23Berdajs

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No