Aortic mineralization triggers the risk of acute type B aortic dissection

The role of aortic mineralization in the pathogenesis of acute type B aortic dissection (TBAD) is unclear. Whether thoracic aortic calcification (TAC) and circulating alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity are associated with acute TBAD risk remains elusive. Observational and Mendelian randomization (MR) studies were conducted sequentially. Using propensity score matching (1:1) by age and sex, patients with acute TBAD (n = 125) were compared with control patients (n = 125). Qualitative (score) and quantitative (volume) analyses of the TAC burden on different thoracic aortic segments were conducted using non-enhanced computed tomography. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify significant independent risk factors for TBAD and TAC burden, respectively. MR was finally used to determine the causal relationship between elevated ALP activity and TBAD risk. The qualitative and quantitative analyses revealed that TAC burden was significantly higher in the TBAD group, except for in the ascending aortic segment (both p