Aortic dissection laboratory findings

Aortic dissection Microchapters
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Case #1

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] ; Associate Editor-In-Chief: Cafer Zorkun, M.D., Ph.D. [2]

Overview

Routine blood work is usually not helpful and should not delay definitive diagnostic studies such as a CT scan and treatment.

Complete Blood Count

Hemolysis can be present as a result of blood in the false lumen.

Biomarker Studies

• There has been one report using a smooth muscle myosin heavy chain immunoassay to help diagnose aortic dissection. They report that a level > 10 ng/ml within the first 12h is 90% sensitive and 97% specific. This finding needs to be confirmed in other trials however.
• The presence of an elevated CK MB may indicate the presence of concomitant acute myocardial infarction (often a right coronary artery occlusion due to occlusion of the ostium of the RCA by the dissection).

Urinalysis

• Hematuria may be present and may indicate the presence of renal infarction.