We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress
Sign In
Advertise with Us

Download Mobile App




Aortic Aneurysm Screening Programs May Be Outdated

By HospiMedica International staff writers
Posted on 25 Jun 2018
Print article
A new study suggests that as abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) prevalence diminishes, using ultrasound scans to detect them in older men may do more harm than good.

Researchers at Sahlgrenska Academy (SA; Göteborg, Sweden), the University of Gothenburg (Sweden), the University of Copenhagen (KU; Denmark), and other institutions conducted a study involving 25,265 men aged 65 years and older who were invited to AAA screening between 2006 and 2009, and an age-matched control group of 106,087 men who had not been screened. The aim of the study was to estimate the effect of AAA screening in Sweden on disease-specific mortality, incidence, and surgery.

Individual data on the incidence of AAA, AAA mortality, and surgery for AAA were compared with data from the age-matched contemporaneous cohort of men. Adjustment for confounding factors was done by weighting the analyses with a propensity score based on cohort year, marital status, educational level, income, and whether the patient already had an AAA diagnosis at baseline. The researchers also studied incidence and mortality from AAA among all Swedish men between the ages of 40 and 99 from 1987 to 2015.

The results revealed that AAA mortality in Swedish men decreased from 36 to ten deaths per 100,000 elder men between the early 2000’s and 2015, irrespective of whether AAA screening was offered. A non-significant reduction in AAA mortality associated with screening was identified, in that just two men avoided death from AAA for every 10,000 men screened. Concomitantly, odds of AAA diagnosis and risk of elective surgery increased, so that for every 10,000 men screened, 49 were probably overdiagnosed, 19 of who also underwent avoidable surgery. The study was published on June 16, 2018, in The Lancet.

“Mortality has declined by over 70%, and this trend was seen in both screened and unscreened counties and in both screened and unscreened age groups. If the screening program had any impact at all on the decline, it was very small,” said lead author PhD student Minna Johansson, MD, of SA. “The very positive reduction in mortality was probably due to a decline in smoking. We came to the conclusion that it is doubtful that the benefits of screening outweigh the harms, and that the Swedish screening program should therefore be revisited.”

AAA is the localized dilatation of the abdominal aorta exceeding the normal diameter by more than 50%, and is the most common form of aortic aneurysm; approximately 90% occur below the kidneys. The aneurysms can extend to include one or both of the pelvic iliac arteries. The major complication of AAA is rupture, which is life-threatening, as large amounts of blood spill into the abdominal cavity, and can lead to death within minutes. Mortality of rupture repair in the hospital is 60-90%.

Related Links:
Sahlgrenska Academy
University of Gothenburg
University of Copenhagen
Gold Member
Disposable Protective Suit For Medical Use
Disposable Protective Suit For Medical Use
Gold Member
SARS‑CoV‑2/Flu A/Flu B/RSV Sample-To-Answer Test
SARS‑CoV‑2/Flu A/Flu B/RSV Cartridge (CE-IVD)
Silver Member
Wireless Mobile ECG Recorder
NR-1207-3/NR-1207-E
New
Multipurpose Gynecological Table
Dixion Grace 8400

Print article

Channels

Surgical Techniques

view channel
Image: The Early Bird Bleed Monitoring System provides visual and audible indicators of the onset and progression of bleeding events (Photo courtesy of Saranas)

Novel Technology Monitors and Lowers Bleeding Complications in Patients Undergoing Heart Procedures

Bleeding complications at the femoral access site can significantly hamper recovery, affecting the success of procedures, patient satisfaction, and overall healthcare costs. It is crucial for surgeons... Read more

Patient Care

view channel
Image: The newly-launched solution can transform operating room scheduling and boost utilization rates (Photo courtesy of Fujitsu)

Surgical Capacity Optimization Solution Helps Hospitals Boost OR Utilization

An innovative solution has the capability to transform surgical capacity utilization by targeting the root cause of surgical block time inefficiencies. Fujitsu Limited’s (Tokyo, Japan) Surgical Capacity... Read more

Health IT

view channel
Image: First ever institution-specific model provides significant performance advantage over current population-derived models (Photo courtesy of Mount Sinai)

Machine Learning Model Improves Mortality Risk Prediction for Cardiac Surgery Patients

Machine learning algorithms have been deployed to create predictive models in various medical fields, with some demonstrating improved outcomes compared to their standard-of-care counterparts.... Read more

Point of Care

view channel
Image: The new eye-safe laser technology can diagnose traumatic brain injury (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

Novel Diagnostic Hand-Held Device Detects Known Biomarkers for Traumatic Brain Injury

The growing need for prompt and efficient diagnosis of traumatic brain injury (TBI), a major cause of mortality globally, has spurred the development of innovative diagnostic technologies.... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2024 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.