Pathogenesis of cervical artery dissections

Abstract

CAD is associated with ultrastructural connective tissue abnormalities, mostly without other clinical manifestations of a connective tissue disease. A structural defect in the extracellular matrix of the arterial wall leading to a genetic predisposition is suggested. The dermal connective tissue abnormalities detected can serve as a phenotypic marker for further genetic studies in patients with CAD and large families to possibly identify the underlying basic molecular defect(s).