Spontaneous visceral artery dissections in otherwise normal arteries: Clinical features, management, and outcomes compared with fibromuscular dysplasia

Objective: Visceral artery dissection with otherwise normal-appearing arteries (VADNA), diagnosed on imaging and suggestive of segmental arterial mediolysis, is a poorly understood disease entity. Study objectives were to define the clinical features, management, and outcomes of patients with VADNA compared with patients with fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD). Methods: In this single-center retrospective cohort study, consecutive patients with a diagnosis of VADNA or FMD evaluated in the Mayo Clinic Gonda Vascular Center (January 1, 2000-April 1, 2017) were identified. Patient demographics, symptom presentation, management, composite adverse arterial events (recurrent arterial dissection, stroke or transient ischemic attack, myocardial infarction, mesenteric or renal infarction, or need for revascularization), and overall survival were compared between VADNA and FMD patients. Results: There were 103 VADNA patients (age [mean +/- standard deviation], 51.7 +/- 11.0 years; 27.9% female) and 248 FMD controls (49.8 +/- 8.9 years; 81.8% female) identified. The most common symptom for VADNA patients was abdominal or flank pain (80.6%). For FMD, chest pain, headache, and dizziness were more frequent presenting complaints. The median follow-up was longer for VADNA patients (42 months; interquartile range, 9-76 months) compared with FMD patients (19 months; interquartile range, 0.6-52 months; P < .001). During this time interval, there were twofold more composite arterial events in the VADNA group compared with the FMD group (17% vs 8.1%; P = .01). This difference was primarily driven by recurrent dissections. All-cause mortality was low and similar for both groups (3.8% vs 0.4%; P = .10). Conclusions: VADNA patients carry a higher risk of recurrent arterial events compared with those with FMD. This difference was primarily driven by recurrent dissections.

Automated summary

Patients with VADNA have a higher risk of recurrent arterial events compared to those with FMD, primarily driven by recurrent dissections. The overall survival rate is low and similar between the two groups.