Evangelia Kontogeorgi1, Marios Sagris1, Damianos G Kokkinidis1, Natasha Hasemaki1, Georgios Tsakotos2, Dimitrios Tsapralis3, John D Kakisis4, Dimitrios Schizas1. 1. First Department of Surgery, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Laikon General Hospital, Athens, Greece. 2. Department of Anatomy and Surgical Anatomy, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece. 3. Department of Surgery, General Hospital of Ierapetra, Ierapetra, Greece. 4. Department of Vascular Surgery, "Attikon" University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
Abstract
Background: Abdominal wall hernias (AWHs) share common epidemiological characteristics with abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs), typically presenting in male population and older ages. Prior reports have associated those two disease entities. Our objective was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis and examine whether AAA rates are higher among patients with AWH vs controls and whether the incidence of AWH was higher among patients with AAA vs patients without AAA. Methods: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis according to the PRISMA guidelines. The Medline database was searched up to July 31, 2020. A random effects meta-analysis was performed. Results: In total, 17 articles and 738,972 participants were included in the systematic review, while 107,578 patients were eligible for the meta-analysis. Among four studies investigating the incidence of AAA in patients with hernias, AAA was more common in patients with hernias, compared to patients without hernias. [OR: 2.53, 95% CI: 1.24-5.16, I2=81.6%]. Among thirteen studies that compared patients with known AAA vs no AAA, the incidence of hernias was higher in patients with AAA, compared with patients without AAA [OR: 2.27, 95% CI: 1.66-3.09, I2=84.6%]. Conclusions: Our study findings indicate that a strong association between AWH and AAA exists. AWHs could therefore be used as an additional selection criterion for screening patients for AAA, apart from age, gender, family history and smoking.
Background: Abdominal wall hernias (AWHs) share common epidemiological characteristics with abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs), typically presenting in male population and older ages. Prior reports have associated those two disease entities. Our objective was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis and examine whether AAA rates are higher among patients with AWH vs controls and whether the incidence of AWH was higher among patients with AAA vs patients without AAA. Methods: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis according to the PRISMA guidelines. The Medline database was searched up to July 31, 2020. A random effects meta-analysis was performed. Results: In total, 17 articles and 738,972 participants were included in the systematic review, while 107,578 patients were eligible for the meta-analysis. Among four studies investigating the incidence of AAA in patients with hernias, AAA was more common in patients with hernias, compared to patients without hernias. [OR: 2.53, 95% CI: 1.24-5.16, I2=81.6%]. Among thirteen studies that compared patients with known AAA vs no AAA, the incidence of hernias was higher in patients with AAA, compared with patients without AAA [OR: 2.27, 95% CI: 1.66-3.09, I2=84.6%]. Conclusions: Our study findings indicate that a strong association between AWH and AAA exists. AWHs could therefore be used as an additional selection criterion for screening patients for AAA, apart from age, gender, family history and smoking.