Effect of Dihydropyridine Calcium-Channel Blocker on Adverse Aortic Events After Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair for Type B Aortic Dissection

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of dihydropyridine calcium-channel blocker (CCB) on adverse aortic events (AAE) in patients undergoing thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) for type B aortic dissection (TBAD). Methods: : A retrospective study was conducted on patients undergoing TEVAR of TBAD from January 2010 to December 2017 in our center. Patients were divided into CCB group and non-CCB group according to the postoperative dihydropyridine CCB use. AAE including aorta-relative mortality and reintervention, were compared between these two groups. Propensity score matching analysis was performed to avoid the potential effect of known confounders. Results: : Before matching, the study cohort comprised 548 patients, including 435 (79.4%) and 113 (20.6%) patients in the CCB and non-CCB groups, respectively. After matching, 101 patients in each group were eligible for the analysis. In the unmatched cohort, AAE occurred in 52 (12.0%) and 29 (25.7%) patients in the CCB and non-CCB groups, respectively ( P < 0.001). In the matched cohort, AAE occurred in 8 (7.9%) and 22 (21.8%) patients in the CCB and non-CCB groups, respectively ( P = 0.013). Log-rank test analysis revealed that the levels of freedom from AAE were significantly different between the 2 groups in both the unmatched and matched cohorts ( P < 0.001 and P = 0.007, respectively). Multivariable analysis showed that CCB use (hazard ratio 0.50, 95% confidence interval 0.32–0.80; P = 0.003) was associated with a lower AAE rate after adjustment for other variables, and was minimally changed after the propensity score matching (HR 0.34, 95% CI 0.15–0.75; P = 0.008). Conclusions: : Postoperative dihydropyridine CCB use is protective in patients undergoing TEVAR for acute and sub-acute TBAD.