A series of errors have been detected in the numbers in table 1 and table 2 of the article, “Aorta Code: a pilot study of a health care network for patients with acute aortic syndrome”. The correct tables, with the corrected numbers and necessary clarifications, can be found here.
Baseline and presenting characteristics of patients with acute aortic syndrome in the 2 periods
| Variable | Aorta Code (n=42) | Care-as-usual (n=18) | P |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age, y | 67.1±18.4 | 63.4±14.2 | .403 |
| Male sex | 57.1% (24) | 77.8% (14) | .129 |
| Diagnosis | |||
| Aortic dissection | 80.9% (34) | 77.8% (14) | .720 |
| Hypertension | 16.7% (7) | 22.2% (4) | |
| DTAA rupture | 2.4% (1) | 0% (0) | |
| Type | |||
| A | 73.8% (31) | 77.8% (14) | .745 |
| B | 26.2% (11) | 22.2% (4) | |
| Risk factors | |||
| Hypertension | 76.2% (32) | 55.6% (10) | .169 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 7.1% (3) | 5.6% (1) | .821 |
| Hypercholesterolemia | 45.2% (19) | 22.2% (4) | .172 |
| Smoking | 28.6% (12) | 27.8% (5) | .950 |
| COPD | 11.9% (5) | 5.6% (1) | .453 |
| Chronic kidney failure | 2.4% (1) | 5.6% (1) | .530 |
| Aortic aneurysm | 4.8% (2) | 11.1% (2) | .576 |
| Signs, symptoms, and complications on admission | |||
| SBP, mmHg | 134.6±41.8 | 132.3±37.2 | .840 |
| Chest pain | 81% (34) | 88.9% (16) | .450 |
| Syncope | 19.1% (8) | 11.1% (2) | .450 |
| Neurological deficit | 16.7% (7) | 27.8% (5) | .324 |
| Pulse deficit | 19.1% (8) | 22.2% (4) | .778 |
| Peripheral ischemia | 16.7% (7) | 27.8% (5) | .324 |
| Acute renal failure | 14.3% (6) | 22.2% (4) | .450 |
| Myocardial infarction | 11.9% (5) | 11.1% (2) | .930 |
| Shock | 21.4% (9) | 16.7% (3) | .673 |
| Tamponade | 19.1% (8) | 16.7% (3) | .796 |
| Need for intubation | 7.1% (3) | 5.6% (1) | .821 |
| Other studies | |||
| Normal electrocardiogram | 52.4% (22) | 61.1% (11) | .533 |
| Normal chest radiograph | 7.1% (3) | 5.6% (1) | .821 |
| Hemopericardium | 28.6% (12) | 33.3% (6) | .712 |
| Pleural effusion | 23.8% (10) | 22.2% (4) | .894 |
| Hemomediastinum | 14.3% (6) | 16.7% (3) | .813 |
| Hemothorax | 7.1% (3) | 0% (0) | .550 |
| Periaortic hematoma | 31% (13) | 27.8% (5) | .806 |
| Supra-aortic branch involvement | 47.6% (20) | 55.6% (10) | .573 |
| True lumen compression | 50% (21) | 38.9% (7) | .429 |
| Renal artery involvement | 47.6% (20) | 33.3% (6) | .306 |
| D-dimer level, ng/mL | 7187 (4230-54 411) | 6817 (2390-49 739) | .871 |
| Maximal aortic diameter, mm | 50.3±12.7 | 51±9.6 | .836 |
| Maximal AIH thickness, mm | 12±3.9 | 17.4±9.8 | .197 |
AIH, aortic intramural hematoma; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; DTAA, descending thoracic aortic aneurysm; SBP, systolic blood pressure.
Treatment and prognosis of patients with acute aortic syndrome in the 2 study periods
| Variable | Aorta Code (n=42) | Care-as-usual (n=18) | P |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time from symptoms to diagnosis, h | 4.2 (2.01-8.9) | 5.8 (2.5-9.6) | .508 |
| Transfer time, min | 150 (114-196) | 259 (180-273) | .046 |
| Treatment | |||
| Medical | 26.2% (11) | 22.2% (4) | .745 |
| Surgical | 64.3% (27) | 77.8% (14) | .303 |
| Endovascular | 14.3% (6) | 0% (0) | .091 |
| Complicated AAS before surgery | 40.7% (11)a | 78.6% (11)a | .021 |
| Type A AAS surgery | 87.1% (27)b | 92.8% (13)b | .569 |
| Surgery (segments) | |||
| Valve | 44.4% (12)c | 30.8% (4)c | .408 |
| Root | 77.8% (21)c | 38.5% (5)c | .015 |
| Ascending aorta | 100% (27)c | 92.3% (12)c | .325 |
| Hemiarch | 14.8% (4)c | 30.8% (4)c | .237 |
| Complete arch in type 1 AAS | 77.8% (14)d | 40% (4)d | .046 |
| Time in cardiocirculatory arrest, min | 27.2±12.5 | 30.7±14.6 | .506 |
| Postoperative complications of type A AAS | |||
| Kidney failure | 55.6% (15)c | 53.9% (7)c | .919 |
| Mesenteric ischemia | 11.1% (3)c | 15.4% (2)c | .702 |
| Peripheral ischemia | 7.4% (2)c | 0% (0)c | > .999 |
| Tamponade | 11.1% (3)c | 7.7% (1)c | .736 |
| Myocardial infarction | 7.4% (2)c | 0% (0)c | > .999 |
| Neurological complications | 37% (10)c | 30.8% (4)c | .697 |
| Reoperation | 29.6% (8)c | 23.1% (3)c | .664 |
| Total mortality | 23.8% (10) | 22.2% (4) | .894 |
| Surgical mortality of type A AAS | 22.2% (6)c | 30.8% (4)c | .559 |
AAS, acute aortic syndrome.
Complicated AAS: patients with AAS who developed any of the following complications before the surgical intervention: poor perfusion, kidney failure, myocardial infarction, tamponade, shock, and neurological complications.
The percentages of this variable are calculated with regard to the group of patients who underwent surgery (27 patients in the Aorta Code group and 14 patients in the Care-as-usual group).
The percentages of this variable are calculated with regard to patients with type A AAS (31 patients in the Aorta Code group and 14 patients in the Care-as-usual group).
In addition, and in line with the corrections, the text in the following paragraph: “Sixty percent of patients with type A AAS [acute aortic syndrome] were treated with the Bentall-De Bono procedure during the care-as-usual period. This percentage fell to 42% after implementation of the project, as 58% were treated with aortic root repair surgery. There was also a relative increase of 80% in the number of complete aortic arch procedures performed (P=.09) (table 2).” should be replaced by: “Of the patients requiring aortic root surgery, 60% (3 of 5 patients) were treated with the Bentall-De Bono procedure during the care-as-usual period. This percentage fell to 38.1% (8 of 21 patients) after implementation of the project, due to increases in aortic root repair surgery (9 of 21 patients, 42.9%) and the David procedure (4 of 21 patients, 19%). There was also a relative increase of 94.5% in the number of complete aortic arch procedures performed for type 1 AAS (77.8% [14] after implementation of the Aorta Code project vs 40% [4] in the care-as-usual period, P=.0045) (table 2).”