Evaluation of the GERAADA score for prediction of 30-day mortality in patients with acute type A aortic dissection.

OBJECTIVES

The German Registry of Acute Aortic Dissection Type A (GERAADA) score to predict 30-day mortality in patients suffering from acute aortic dissection type A (AADA) was recently introduced. The aim of this study was to evaluate if the GERAADA score's prediction corresponds with the authors' institutional results.

METHODS

All consecutive AADA patients between 2010 and 2020 were included. Retrospective data collection comprised 11 preoperative parameters: age, sex, previous cardiac surgery, inotropic support at referral, resuscitation before surgery, aortic regurgitation, preoperative hemiparesis, intubation/ventilation at referral, preoperative organ malperfusion, extension of aortic dissection and location of primary entry site. Calculations of the GERAADA score were individually performed by a cardiac surgeon blinded to the study for all patients via a web-based application (https://www.dgthg.de/de/GERAADA_Score).

RESULTS

A total of 371 AADA patients were operated at the authors' institution. The mean age was 62.7 ± 13.5 years and 233 (63%) were males. Prediction of 30-day mortality was accurate for the entire study cohort (actual vs predicted 30-day mortality: 15.1% vs 15.7%; P = 0.776) as well as for all 26 subgroups. In addition, preoperative resuscitation (P < 0.001), advanced age (P = 0.042) and other/unknown malperfusion (P = 0.032) were identified as independent risk factors.

CONCLUSIONS

The GERAADA score prediction of 30-day mortality after surgery is accurate, easily accessible due to its web-based platform and can be calculated with very basic preoperative clinical parameters. A prospective clinical trial is required to further evaluate the new GERAADA score as a useful tool to allow for improved decision-making in the emergency setting of AADA.