Improving care for people with type B aortic dissection
Official title: 1/2 IMPRoving Outcomes in Vascular DisEase - Aortic Dissection (IMPROVE-AD)
Funded at Duke University · NIH-11379246 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study will compare immediate stent-graft repair plus medicines to medicines with watchful waiting for people with uncomplicated type B aortic dissection.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project start | July 21, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $5,355 |
| NIH project number | 3UH3HL165017-03S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11379246 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults diagnosed with uncomplicated type B aortic dissection who are eligible for medical therapy and possible endovascular repair are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People with complicated type B dissections (for example with rupture, organ malperfusion, or other immediate surgical indications) or those medically unfit for TEVAR are unlikely to benefit from enrollment.
What this research studies
If you join, you would be randomly assigned to get medical therapy plus an early thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) or to get medical therapy with close monitoring and repair only if the dissection worsens. The trial plans to enroll about 1,100 people at hospitals across the United States and will follow participants over time to see how they do on each approach. Care is delivered in real-world hospital settings and the team includes experienced clinical and data centers coordinating the work. The goal is to produce clear guidance on whether early TEVAR helps people with uncomplicated type B dissections.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could show that earlier repair prevents life-threatening complications and improves long-term outcomes for people with uncomplicated type B aortic dissection.
How similar studies have gone: Smaller randomized and observational studies have shown improved aortic remodeling and some long-term benefits with TEVAR, but large definitive US trials of this size for uncomplicated disease are novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Duke University
Durham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Patel, Manesh R — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Patel, Manesh R
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Improving Outcomes in Vascular Disease for Aortic Dissection: Upfront TEVAR vs Surveillance
A large US study will compare starting treatment with a repair procedure plus medicine to medicine alone with careful follow-up in people with uncomplicated type B aortic dissection.
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Improving Outcomes in Aortic Dissection: Upfront TEVAR vs Surveillance (IMPROVE-AD) for Uncomplicated Type B Dissection
A large, patient-friendly study will compare starting with medicine plus an upfront TEVAR procedure versus medicine with careful monitoring for people with uncomplicated type B aortic dissection.
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IMPROVE-AD: Better outcomes for uncomplicated type B aortic dissection
A large patient study in the US will compare starting with medical care plus upfront TEVAR versus medical care with monitoring alone to see which approach leads to better outcomes for people with uncomplicated type B aortic dissection.
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Upfront TEVAR plus medical therapy vs lifelong monitoring for uncomplicated type B aortic dissection
A large US study tests whether adding early TEVAR to standard medical care helps people with uncomplicated type B aortic dissection live better than medical care alone with ongoing monitoring.
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Non-invasive 4D flow MRI to predict risk in aortic dissection
A study using 4D flow MRI to help doctors predict which patients with aortic dissection are at higher long-term risk so they can tailor treatment.
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Early aortic stent plus medicine versus medicine with watchful waiting for uncomplicated type B aortic dissection
This compares giving an early aortic stent graft plus medicines to using medicines with close follow-up for people with uncomplicated type B aortic dissection to find which approach leads to better outcomes.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.