Journal of cardiovascular medicine
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J Cardiovasc Med (Hagerstown) · May 2006
Plasma levels of metalloproteinases-9 and -2 in the acute and subacute phases of type A and type B aortic dissection.
Aortic dissection is characterized by an acute phase of medial dissection and a subacute-chronic phase of vessel wall repair. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), through degradation of extracellular matrix, may play an important role in these processes. Elevation of MMPs might represent an opportunity to diagnostically characterize acute or chronic aortic processes. We examined the potential diagnostic role of MMP-9 and MMP-2 in different phases of aortic dissection. ⋯ This pilot study suggests that the acute and subacute phase of both type A and type B aortic dissection is characterized by an increase of MMP-9 plasma levels. A marked increase is also evident in the subacute phase of medically treated type B aortic dissection as an expression of aortic wall remodelling. An increase of proteolytic activity could accompany attempts of the dissected aorta to heal itself but such a phenomena might further weaken the aortic wall, predisposing it to dilation and/or rupture.