Epidemiology, treatment, and data management trends in aortic dissection and related syndromes: Insights and limitations from the RAE-CMBD in Spain (2016–2021)

Objective Aortic dissection presents significant variations in incidence, treatment, and outcomes based on demographic and clinical factors. This study leverages official databases to elucidate the epidemiological trends of aortic dissection and related syndromes in Spain while examining demographic, clinical, and economic variables. Methods A Python-based workflow refined and classified data from the Spanish hospital database (2016–2021) of patients with aortic dissection, crosslinking age, sex, management, and resource use. The study examined sex- and age-specific differences, quantified treatment modalities in relation to outcomes such as procedure choice and in-hospital case fatality, and assessed hospitalization and intervention costs to evaluate the economic burden. Results Findings from 9587 cases reveal persistently high case-fatality (∼20 %) despite advancements in diagnosis and highlight disparities in care. Case-fatality was significantly higher in females (29.3 %) than in males (22.4 %), with diagnoses occurring at an older age in females compared to males (70.4 vs. 65.5 years). Open surgery remains as the predominant strategy across all analyzed aortic locations despite the medical and economic advantages of percutaneous intervention, although the database's limitation in recording cases according to the Stanford classification hinders the ability to criticize the treatment selection. Conclusion Clinical data highlight the need for innovative medical and technological solutions. Moreover, transitioning to a new data system could enhance epidemiological reliability and improve patient management.