CHRONIC AORTIC DISSECTION MASQUERADING AS SYSTEMIC-DISEASE

We report two cases of chronic aortic dissection whose prominent featu res were characterized by systemic symptoms (prolonged low grade fever , fatigue, weight loss) and biological acute phase response. In the fi rst patient, a surgical repair of the descending thoracic aorta aneury sm was performed, allowing the disappearance of general manifestations , whereas spontaneous resolution occurred in the second case. Although aortic dissection is usually an acute and highly symptomatic event, t he disorder can present - albeit rarely - as systemic illness and feve r of unknown origin.