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Familial abdominal aortic aneurysm: prevalence and implications for screening
D C Adams1, B R Tulloh, S W Galloway
1Department of Vascular Surgery, Cheltenham General Hospital, Gloucestershire, U.K.
European Journal of Vascular Surgery
|November 1, 1993
Summary
Screening first-degree relatives of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) patients identified aortic dilatation in 21% of males over 50. This suggests male relatives may benefit from AAA screening programs.
Area of Science:
- Vascular Surgery
- Genetics
- Diagnostic Imaging
Background:
- Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is prevalent in men over 65, with established ultrasound screening.
- Familial clustering suggests a genetic predisposition, indicating relatives may be a high-risk group.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence of AAA and aortic dilatation in first-degree relatives of AAA patients.
- To determine if screening first-degree relatives is warranted.
Main Methods:
- Identified first-degree relatives of 100 consecutive AAA patients.
- Performed ultrasound scans on 76 relatives over 50 years of age.
- Assessed aortic size, defining aneurysms (≥4.0 cm) and dilatation (2.5–3.9 cm).
Main Results:
- No new AAA cases were detected in screened relatives.
- Nine relatives (12% of those scanned) showed aortic dilatation.
- Aortic dilatation was found in 21% of male first-degree relatives over 50, including 27% of sons and 17% of brothers.
Conclusions:
- Aortic dilatation is common in male first-degree relatives of AAA patients over 50.
- Screening male first-degree relatives for AAA is justified due to the high prevalence of aortic enlargement.