Nordic Consortium for Acute Type A Aortic Dissection-2

The Nordic Consortium for Acute Type A Aortic Dissection-2 (NORCAAD-2) is a multicenter research collaboration involving up to 19 units in the Nordic countries and one in The Netherlands. All patients referred for this condition is included, to outline detailed preoperative characteristics and risk factors as well as, for those operated, data on the operative procedure, the postoperative course including major and minor complications and, as the primary interest, mortality in short- and long-term perspective. The need for further procedures on the aorta will also be studied.

Acute type A Aortic Dissection (ATAAD) is a vascular emergency with very high case-fatality rate. The condition is realtively infrequent, and single units can rarely amass sufficient number of patients during a reasonable time to analyse also unusual variants in background, presentation, and management. Randomized controlled trials are unlikely, and large multicenter databases are the best source of knowledge for the foreseeable future. Other such databases exist, but NORCAAD-2 is more focused (only ATAAD) and more detailed than many counterparts, with the ability to extract unique information.

NORCAAD-2 is the extension and expansion of the original NORCAAD project. NORCAAD-2 includes more centers, more patients, more data and utilizes a novel on-line common database designed for the purpose.

The ultimate goal is to identify novel risk markers to help inform decisions on pre-emptive surgery (before ATAAD occurs); to outline superior perioperative techniques and strategies to optimize outcomes both short- and long-term; and to analyze variables related to major complications, in an effort to further reduce their incidence.