[Genetic aspects of the pathogenesis of aortic abdominal aneurysms]

In industrialized countries the number of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) is continuously rising. In recent years the mortality rate tripled and it is the number 13 cause of death in United States. Despite many identified risk factors and understanding of their pathomechanisms, the pathogenesis of AAA remains unclear. Thanks to the epidemiological researches and improvement of molecular techniques it was noted that AAA may have a genetic bases. The diversity between the possible genomic defects that could lead to the development of aneurytic changes was also suggested. This has a direct relationship with the complexity of the aortic wall structure and therefore with the number of potential injury locations. Current genetic research confirms the changes in expression and the many polymorphic variants of genes coding structural and enzymatic proteins. Thus, AAA seems to be a disease with multifactor pathogenesis and numerous possible genome anomaly variants. Hence, it seems that the complete understanding of the genetic bases of AAA continuous to be distant. However, efforts in this matter remain valuable, giving hope for an improved diagnosis, prophylaxis and treatment of this disease. This article is a review of the available knowledge regarding the genetic origin of AAA.