Atsushi Akai1, Yoshiko Watanabe2, Katsuyuki Hoshina3, Yukio Obitsu4, Juno Deguchi5, Osamu Sato5, Kunihiro Shigematsu3, Tetsuro Miyata6. 1. Department of Surgery, Asahi General Hospital, Chiba, Japan. Electronic address: atsuakai@gmail.com. 2. First Department of Physiology, Kawasaki Medical School, Okayama, Japan. 3. Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan. 4. Department of Vascular Surgery, International University of Health and Welfare Mita Hospital, Tokyo, Japan. 5. Department of Vascular Surgery, Saitama Medical Center, Saitama, Japan. 6. Department of Vascular Surgery, Sanno Medical Center, Tokyo, Japan.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate risk factors associated with more rapid growth of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) <50 mm (small AAAs) in Japan. METHODS: We retrospectively investigated the clinical data of 374 patients with small AAAs (maximum diameter, ≤50 mm) who were referred to The University of Tokyo Hospital, Tokyo Medical University Hospital, or Saitama Medical Center, between 1995 and 2008. RESULTS: A total of 374 patients (321 men and 53 women) were followed up for a median of 66 months. The median diameter on initial examination was 40 mm, and the median growth rate of the AAAs was 2.1 mm/y. The growth rate of AAAs with an initial diameter ≥45 mm was significantly greater than those with an initial diameter <45 mm (3.3 mm/y vs 2.0 mm/y, respectively; P = .007). The growth rate of AAAs was significantly greater in patients with hypertension than in those without (2.3 mm/y vs 1.7 mm/y, respectively; P = .006) and in patients with a family history of aortic aneurysm than in those without (4.2 mm/y vs 2.0 mm/y, respectively; P = .009). Logistic regression analysis revealed that a large initial diameter and family history of aortic aneurysm were independent predictors of accelerated growth rate of small AAAs in Japan. CONCLUSIONS: In the present study, a large initial diameter and family history of aortic aneurysm were independent risk factors for more rapid growth of small AAAs. Although few studies have reported similar findings thus far, family history of aortic aneurysm should be carefully considered during follow-up of patients with small AAAs.
OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate risk factors associated with more rapid growth of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) <50 mm (small AAAs) in Japan. METHODS: We retrospectively investigated the clinical data of 374 patients with small AAAs (maximum diameter, ≤50 mm) who were referred to The University of Tokyo Hospital, Tokyo Medical University Hospital, or Saitama Medical Center, between 1995 and 2008. RESULTS: A total of 374 patients (321 men and 53 women) were followed up for a median of 66 months. The median diameter on initial examination was 40 mm, and the median growth rate of the AAAs was 2.1 mm/y. The growth rate of AAAs with an initial diameter ≥45 mm was significantly greater than those with an initial diameter <45 mm (3.3 mm/y vs 2.0 mm/y, respectively; P = .007). The growth rate of AAAs was significantly greater in patients with hypertension than in those without (2.3 mm/y vs 1.7 mm/y, respectively; P = .006) and in patients with a family history of aortic aneurysm than in those without (4.2 mm/y vs 2.0 mm/y, respectively; P = .009). Logistic regression analysis revealed that a large initial diameter and family history of aortic aneurysm were independent predictors of accelerated growth rate of small AAAs in Japan. CONCLUSIONS: In the present study, a large initial diameter and family history of aortic aneurysm were independent risk factors for more rapid growth of small AAAs. Although few studies have reported similar findings thus far, family history of aortic aneurysm should be carefully considered during follow-up of patients with small AAAs.