Table 1.
Patient characteristics
| Total (n=261) | Interviews (n=11) | P value | Males (n=136) | Females (n=125) | P value | |
| Age, years | 52.9±15.8 | 55.5±14.2 | 0.588 | 53.7±15.9 | 52.1±15.7 | 0.407 |
| Length, cm | 177.2±14.7 | 178.0±8.5 | 0.853 | 184.0±13.9 | 169.7±11.7 | <0.001 |
| Weight, kg | 83.9±19.4 | 84.5±16.5 | 0.923 | 92.2±17.9 | 75.3±17.1 | <0.001 |
| BSA, m2 | 2.0±0.2 | 2.0±0.2 | 0.794 | 2.1±0.2 | 1.9±0.2 | <0.001 |
| Hypertension | 117 (44.8) | 8 (72.7) | 0.061 | 66 (48.5) | 51 (40.8) | 0.267 |
| Hyperlipidemia | 66 (25.3) | 4 (36.4) | 0.427 | 42 (30.9) | 24 (19.2) | 0.082 |
| Smoking | 25 (9.6) | 0 (0.0) | 0.347 | 10 (7.4) | 15 (12.0) | 0.25 |
| Diabetes | 9 (3.4) | 0 (0.0) | 0.523 | 5 (3.7) | 4 (3.2) | 0.833 |
| Renal dysfunction | 5 (1.9) | 0 (0.0) | 0.636 | 2 (1.5) | 3 (2.4) | 0.584 |
| History of depression | 16 (6.1) | 1 (9.1) | 0.673 | 2 (1.5) | 14 (11.2) | 0.001 |
| History of anxiety disorder | 4 (1.5) | 1 (9.1) | 0.037* | 2 (1.5) | 2 (1.6) | 0.932 |
| Beta-blocker use | 60 (23.0) | 5 (45.5) | 0.075 | 35 (25.7) | 25 (20.0) | 0.271 |
| ARB use | 34 (13.0) | 3 (27.3) | 0.149 | 24 (17.6) | 10 (8.0) | 0.021 |
| ACEi use | 42 (16.1) | 3 (27.3) | 0.32 | 30 (22.1) | 12 (9.6) | 0.006 |
| Diagnosis | 0.314 | |||||
| Marfan syndrome | 10 (3.8) | 1 (9.1) | 7 (5.1) | 3 (2.4) | 0.267 | |
| Loeys-Dietz syndrome | 10 (3.8) | 3 (27.3) | 4 (2.9) | 6 (4.8) | 0.407 | |
| Ehlers-Danlos syndrome | 2 (0.8) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 2 (1.6) | 0.133 | |
| Other | 12 (4.6) | 0 (0.0) | 6 (4.4) | 6 (4.8) | 0.841 | |
| Confirmed genetic mutation | 61 (23.4) | 4 (36.4) | 0.551 | 28 (20.6) | 33 (26.4) | 0.537 |
| Positive family history aortic disease | 132 (50.6) | 6 (54.5) | 0.818 | 64 (47.1) | 68 (54.4) | 0.489 |
| Abdominal aortic aneurysm | 9 (3.4) | 2 (18.9) | 0.006 | 8 (5.9) | 1 (0.8) | 0.025 |
| Maximal diameter aortic root† | 37.6±5.7 | 38.9±4.5 | 0.577 | 40.1±5.5 | 34.7±4.3 | <0.001 |
| Indexed diameter aortic root,† mm/BSA | 19.0±2.9 | 23.5±13.9 | 0.303 | 18.7±2.4 | 19.0±2.7 | 0.395 |
| Maximal diameter ascending aorta† | 37.0±6.8 | 41.8±6.4 | 0.015* | 38.4±6.6 | 35.7±7.0 | 0.004 |
| Indexed diameter ascending aorta,† mm/BSA | 18.7±3.9 | 20.8±3.5 | 0.06 | 17.9±3.3 | 19.5±4.2 | 0.003 |
| Maximal diameter descending aorta† | 27.1±6.3 | 27.6±3.2 | 0.819 | 28.0±6.2 | 25.2±6.2 | 0.004 |
| Indexed diameter descending aorta,† mm/BSA | 13.7±3.3 | 14.1±2.3 | 0.709 | 13.1±2.8 | 13.7±3.7 | 0.276 |
| Previous aortic surgery | 33 (12.6) | 3 (27.3) | 0.149 | 21 (15.4) | 12 (9.6) | 0.156 |
| Previous dissection | 23 (8.8) | 1 (9.1) | 0.97 | 9 (6.6) | 14 (11.2) | 0.192 |
| Current partner | 126 (48.3) | 73 (53.7) | 53 (42.4) | 0.115 | ||
| Current employment‡ | 103 (39.5) | 6 (54.5) | 0.573 | 64 (47.1) | 39 (31.2) | 0.008 |
| Paid job | 96 (36.8) | 6 (54.5) | 62 (45.6) | 34 (27.2) | ||
| Volunteer work | 7 (2.7) | 0 (0.0) | 2 (1.5) | 5 (4.0) | ||
| Retired | 57 (21.8) | 3 (27.3) | 28 (20.6) | 29 (23.2) | ||
| Student | 16 (6.1) | 0 (0.0) | 7 (5.1) | 9 (7.2) | ||
| Unable to work/disabled | 16 (6.1) | 2 (18.2) | 8 (5.9) | 8 (6.4) | ||
| Unemployed | 12 (4.6) | 1 (0.7) | 11 (8.8) | |||
| Exercise | 0.799 | 0.035 | ||||
| Sports participation§ | 105 (40.2) | 4 (36.4) | 63 (46.3) | 42 (33.6) | ||
| Walking or cycling | 104 (39.8) | 5 (45.5) | 47 (34.6) | 57 (45.6) | ||
| None | 36 (13.8) | 2 (18.2) | 18 (13.2) | 18 (14.4) |
Data are expressed as mean±SD or as absolute and percentage.
*Only patients without previous aortic surgery.
†Current employment=paid job or volunteer work.
‡Defined as: participating in any sport other than daily walking or cycling at any level at least once a week.
ACEi, ACE inhibitor; ARB, angiotensin II receptor blocker; BSA, body surface area.