{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,19]],"date-time":"2026-03-19T14:45:31Z","timestamp":1773931531406,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":43,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,19]],"date-time":"2026-03-19T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1773878400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Diagnostics"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background\/Objectives: Ascending thoracic aortic aneurysms (aTAAs) pose a high risk of dissection and rupture. Though more prevalent in males, females may experience worse outcomes. Growth rate is considered a part of risk assessment, yet data in non-syndromic females without valve abnormalities remain limited. This study aims to assess whether aTAA growth differs between non-syndromic females and males with normal aortic valve morphology. Methods: The systematic review followed the PRISMA 2020 guideline. The final search was completed in April 2025, with guidance from a certified librarian. Included studies were RCTs or observational studies of non-syndromic adults with aTAA reporting sex-specific data and included \u226510 females. Prior dissection, valve replacement, or surgery were excluded. In addition to the original search, 11 articles were identified as likely to contain sex-specific data, and the corresponding authors were contacted. The protocol is registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251025890). Meta-analysis was not performed due to high heterogeneity and limited study numbers. Results: Of 2629 identified studies, 73 studies were screened in full-text, and only three met the inclusion criteria. The most common exclusion reason was lack of appropriately sex-stratified data. Two authors out of the 11 contacted replied with additional datasets, resulting in a total of five studies being included. Of the five included studies, three found faster growth rates in females. Reported growth rates in females varied notably, ranging from \u22120.7\u20131.74 mm\/year. Conclusions: Evidence on sex differences in aTAA growth among non-syndromic patients with normal aortic valves remains inconclusive. Three of the five studies reported faster growth in females. Standardization in future research is needed.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/diagnostics16060916","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,19]],"date-time":"2026-03-19T11:50:36Z","timestamp":1773921036000},"page":"916","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Sex-Specific Growth Rates of Ascending Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms in Non-Syndromic Patients: A Systematic Review"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0008-0524-2160","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rebecca M. J.","family":"Gylling","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nuclear Medicine, Odense University Hospital, 5000 Odense, Denmark"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0006-7154-105X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Heidi M.","family":"Pokka","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nuclear Medicine, Odense University Hospital, 5000 Odense, Denmark"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6335-3303","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Oke","family":"Gerke","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nuclear Medicine, Odense University Hospital, 5000 Odense, Denmark"},{"name":"Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense, Denmark"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6108-0153","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Joachim S.","family":"Skovbo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense, Denmark"},{"name":"Elite Centre for Individualized Medicine in Arterial Disease (CIMA), Odense University Hospital, 5000 Odense, Denmark"},{"name":"Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Odense University Hospital, 5000 Odense, Denmark"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9536-4488","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jes S.","family":"Lindholt","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense, Denmark"},{"name":"Elite Centre for Individualized Medicine in Arterial Disease (CIMA), Odense University Hospital, 5000 Odense, Denmark"},{"name":"Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Odense University Hospital, 5000 Odense, Denmark"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1285-4826","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Axel C. P.","family":"Diederichsen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense, Denmark"},{"name":"Department of Cardiology, Odense University Hospital, 5000 Odense, Denmark"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Sebrina M.","family":"Hansen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Research Unit OPEN, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense, Denmark"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0037-8962","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lasse M.","family":"Obel","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Elite Centre for Individualized Medicine in Arterial Disease (CIMA), Odense University Hospital, 5000 Odense, Denmark"},{"name":"Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Odense University Hospital, 5000 Odense, Denmark"},{"name":"Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Lilleb\u00e6lt Hospital, University Hospital of Southern Denmark, 7100 Vejle, Denmark"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,19]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e334","DOI":"10.1161\/CIR.0000000000001106","article-title":"2022 ACC\/AHA Guideline for the Diagnosis and Management of Aortic Disease: A Report of the American Heart Association\/American College of Cardiology Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines","volume":"146","author":"Isselbacher","year":"2022","journal-title":"Circulation"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"811","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jacc.2017.12.013","article-title":"High Proportions of Coexisting Aortic Dilations Call for Total Aortic Scan","volume":"71","author":"Obel","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. 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Imaging"}],"container-title":["Diagnostics"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2075-4418\/16\/6\/916\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,19]],"date-time":"2026-03-19T12:06:28Z","timestamp":1773921988000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2075-4418\/16\/6\/916"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,19]]},"references-count":43,"journal-issue":{"issue":"6","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,3]]}},"alternative-id":["diagnostics16060916"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/diagnostics16060916","relation":{},"ISSN":["2075-4418"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2075-4418","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,19]]}}}