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Published on: September 19, 2018
Factors associated with development of large abdominal aortic aneurysm in middle-aged men
B Lindblad1, G Börner, A Gottsäter
1Department of Vascular Diseases Malmö-Lund, Malmö University Hospital, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden. bengt.lindblad@kir.mas.lu.se
Objectives:
To investigate whether any variables in a health-screened population study were associated with later development of large abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA).
Setting:
Malmö, Southern Sweden.
Material And Methods:
Within the Malmö Preventive Study 22,444 men and 10,982 women were investigated between 1974 and 1991. The mean age at the health screening was 43.7 years.
Results:
After a median follow-up of 21 years, 126 men and six women (p<0.001) had large AAA that were symptomatic or evaluated for operation (5 cm diameter or more) or had autopsy-verified ruptured AAA. The male group (mean age 47 years) was, because of difference in age (p<0.001) also compared with an age-matched control group. The male patients with AAA showed increased diastolic blood pressure (p<0.007) at the health screening. Smoking predicted the development of AAA (p<0.0001). No difference in forced vital capacity or BMI was seen. Those who were physically inactive (e.g. not walking or cycling to work) had an increased risk of developing AAA (p<0.001). Among the laboratory markers measured, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate did not differ (7.1+/-5.9 vs. 6.4+/-5.7), but cholesterol (6.3+/-1.12 vs. 5.8+/-1.0) (p<0.0001) and triglycerides (1.9+/-0.12 vs. 1.5+/-0.07) (p<0.001) were significantly elevated in these individuals who subsequently developing AAA. The inflammatory proteins alfa-1-antitrypsin, ceruloplasmin, orosmucoid, fibrinogen, and haptoglobulin were increased (p<0.001).
Conclusion:
Male gender, smoking, physical inactivity and cholesterol are significant factors associated with the development of AAA.
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