2022
Growth rate of ascending thoracic aortic aneurysms in a non-referral-based population
Weininger G, Mori M, Yousef S, Hur DJ, Assi R, Geirsson A, Vallabhajosyula P. Growth rate of ascending thoracic aortic aneurysms in a non-referral-based population. Journal Of Cardiothoracic Surgery 2022, 17: 14. PMID: 35109884, PMCID: PMC8812194, DOI: 10.1186/s13019-022-01761-6.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAneurysm growth rateAortic dilatationAortic aneurysmStudy populationCT scanInitial aneurysm sizeTrue natural historyPatients age 50High-risk patientsMedian time intervalLarge institutional databaseThoracic aortic aneurysmComputed tomography scanAortic aneurysm diseaseRisk patientsAortic sizeInstitutional databaseTomography scanAneurysm diseaseRadiologic diagnosisAneurysm sizeBackgroundPrior studiesAge 50PatientsNatural history
2021
Socioeconomic disparities in surveillance and follow‐up of patients with thoracic aortic aneurysm
Shang M, Weininger G, Mori M, Kahler‐Quesada A, Degife E, Brooks C, Yousef S, Williams M, Assi R, Geirsson A, Vallabhajosyula P. Socioeconomic disparities in surveillance and follow‐up of patients with thoracic aortic aneurysm. Journal Of Cardiac Surgery 2021, 37: 831-839. PMID: 34873754, DOI: 10.1111/jocs.16173.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAortic aneurysmArea Deprivation IndexCardiovascular specialistsSocioeconomic statusSurgical interventionAneurysm sizeReferral of patientsRisk of deathSignificant risk factorsThoracic aortic aneurysmComputed tomography scanLowest socioeconomic quartileLow socioeconomic statusLower Socioeconomic StatusADI quartileAortic surveillanceAortic dissectionConsecutive patientsPrimary outcomeSpecialist referralSurgical repairTimely followSurveillance imagingRisk regressionRisk factorsDevelopment and Validation of a Predictive Model to Identify Patients With an Ascending Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm
Mori M, Gan G, Deng Y, Yousef S, Weininger G, Daggula KR, Agarwal R, Shang M, Assi R, Geirsson A, Vallabhajosyula P. Development and Validation of a Predictive Model to Identify Patients With an Ascending Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm. Journal Of The American Heart Association 2021, 10: e022102. PMID: 34743563, PMCID: PMC8751931, DOI: 10.1161/jaha.121.022102.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsThoracic aortic aneurysmAortic aneurysmPatient riskTomography scanHigher body surface areaTertiary care centerAortic valve diseaseHistory of arrhythmiaAvailable clinical informationBody surface areaScreening of patientsCross-sectional studyRisk prediction algorithmAscending Thoracic Aortic AneurysmsLogistic regression modelsClinical characteristicsAortic dissectionUnique patientsValve diseaseC-statisticFemale sexThoracic aortaCare centerComorbidity variablesMultivariable modelLipid profiles help to explain protection from systemic atherosclerosis in patients with ascending aortic aneurysm
Weininger G, Ostberg N, Shang M, Zafar M, Ziganshin BA, Liu S, Erben Y, Elefteriades JA. Lipid profiles help to explain protection from systemic atherosclerosis in patients with ascending aortic aneurysm. Journal Of Thoracic And Cardiovascular Surgery 2021, 163: e129-e132. PMID: 34635315, DOI: 10.1016/j.jtcvs.2021.09.031.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchRisk reduction and pharmacological strategies to prevent progression of aortic aneurysms
Weininger G, Chan SM, Zafar M, Ziganshin BA, Elefteriades JA. Risk reduction and pharmacological strategies to prevent progression of aortic aneurysms. Expert Review Of Cardiovascular Therapy 2021, 19: 619-631. PMID: 34102944, DOI: 10.1080/14779072.2021.1940958.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAortic aneurysmAbdominal aortic aneurysmß-blockersAngiotensin II receptor blockersAngiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitorAnti-platelet medicationDifferent pharmacologic therapiesII receptor blockersAortic aneurysm patientsThoracic aortic aneurysmRisk reductionAortic aneurysm growthPharmacologic managementReceptor blockersPharmacologic therapyMedical therapySurgical interventionAneurysm patientsMiscellaneous drugsAneurysm diseasePharmacological strategiesSyndrome patientsMarfan syndromeEnzyme inhibitorsAneurysmsPatterns of Surveillance Imaging for Incidentally Detected Ascending Aortic Aneurysms
Weininger G, Mori M, Shang M, Degife E, Amick M, Yousef S, Assi R, Milewski R, Geirsson A, Vallabhajosyula P. Patterns of Surveillance Imaging for Incidentally Detected Ascending Aortic Aneurysms. The Annals Of Thoracic Surgery 2021, 113: 125-130. PMID: 33609548, DOI: 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2021.02.010.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAneurysm sizeLogistic regression modelsAortic aneurysmTomography scanCardiac surgeonsHigh-risk patient populationHigh-risk patientsAscending Aortic AneurysmLow clinical penetranceMedian aneurysm sizeYear of detectionPatterns of surveillanceMedian followCare patientsRegression modelsSurveillance imagingSurveillance intervalsPatient populationIncidental detectionFamily historyClinical penetrancePatientsPatient's aneurysmSilent killerTimely intervention