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The leading cause of death from Marfan syndrome is aortic root dissection. β-blockers are commonly prescribed to slow the rate of progression of aortic root dilation to aortic dissection, but this approach has not been proven effective.
Researchers identified 63 children (mean age, 9) who had been seen for Marfan syndrome at two pediatric tertiary care centers; 29 were treated with a β-blocker, and 34 were observed. The groups were comparable at baseline, including aortic root measurements. After a mean of about 7 years of follow-up, aortic root measurements were still similar in the treated and untreated groups. Likewise, the rate of change in aortic root size was comparable between the two groups. Side effects (e.g., exercise intolerance, …