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Abdominal aortic aneurysm--to screen or not to screen

D Bergqvist1, M Björck, A Wanhainen

  • 1Department of Surgical Sciences, Section of Surgery, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden.

European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery : the Official Journal of the European Society for Vascular Surgery
|October 2, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms is suitable for 65-year-old males, but more data is needed for females. Patient selection for treatment relies heavily on aneurysm size, potentially leading to unnecessary interventions.

Area of Science:

  • Vascular Surgery
  • Public Health Screening
  • Medical Diagnostics

Background:

  • Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screening programs aim to reduce mortality through early detection.
  • The World Health Organization (WHO) established ten criteria for evaluating the suitability of screening programs.
  • Current screening protocols for AAA primarily focus on specific demographic groups.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the applicability of WHO criteria for abdominal aortic aneurysm screening.
  • To assess the current evidence base for AAA screening in different populations.
  • To identify areas requiring further research to optimize AAA screening strategies.

Main Methods:

  • Review and analysis of the ten WHO criteria in the context of abdominal aortic aneurysm screening.
  • Evaluation of existing data regarding AAA prevalence and risk factors in male and female populations.
  • Assessment of current patient selection criteria for AAA treatment based on aneurysmal diameter.

Main Results:

  • Most WHO criteria for initiating an AAA screening program are met for the 65-year-old male population.
  • There is a significant lack of knowledge and data regarding AAA screening applicability and effectiveness in females.
  • Aneurysmal diameter remains the primary determinant for treatment selection, which may lead to overtreatment in some cases.

Conclusions:

  • Abdominal aortic aneurysm screening is well-supported for 65-year-old males based on WHO criteria.
  • Further research is crucial to establish effective AAA screening protocols for females.
  • Prioritizing research into the pathophysiology of aneurysm expansion and rupture is essential to refine treatment selection and avoid unnecessary interventions.

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