[Are abdominal aortic aneurysm screening guidelines followed? Prospective study in Dunkerque's hospital emergency...

Are the recommendations issued by the Haute Autorité de santé in 2012 on screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) being applied?

We interviewed the target patients, ex. male patients aged 65 to 75, smokers or former smokers, or as young as 50 in the event of a family history of AAA in the parents or siblings, entering the emergency room of Dunkerque between May 7 and December 31, 2015. We asked them if they had had an abdominal aortic ultrasound, or an abdominal ultrasound, or an arterial Doppler ultrasound of the lower limbs, and when, to see if they had had an AAA test since November 2012.

We included 55 patients and excluded 5 of 180 eligible patients (31 %). It was not possible to conclude for 4 patients due to missing data. Thirteen of 46 patients (28.3 %, 95 % CI [16.0-43.5]) have had AAA ultrasound screening since November 2012; 33 have not (71.7 %, 95 % CI [56.5-84.0]) and no screening was offered. Of the 13 patients screened, 7 were screened by the attending physician (53.9 %, 95 % CI [25.1-80.8]) and 6 by another specialist (46.2 %, 95 % CI [19.2-74.9]).

AAA screening in our population is low. Physicians should be urged to publicize and implement the November 2012 French recommendations to reduce AAA-related mortality.