Thrombus volume is similar in patients with ruptured and intact abdominal aortic aneurysms

Jonathan Golledge; Vikram Iyer; Julie Jenkins; Barbara Bradshaw; Oliver Cronin; Philip J Walker

doi:10.1016/j.jvs.2013.08.036

Thrombus volume is similar in patients with ruptured and intact abdominal aortic aneurysms

J Vasc Surg. 2014 Feb;59(2):315-20. doi: 10.1016/j.jvs.2013.08.036. Epub 2013 Oct 3.

Authors

Jonathan Golledge¹, Vikram Iyer², Julie Jenkins³, Barbara Bradshaw⁴, Oliver Cronin⁴, Philip J Walker⁵

Affiliations

¹ The Vascular Biology Unit, Queensland Research Centre for Peripheral Vascular Disease, School of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia; Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, The Townsville Hospital, Townsville, Australia; University of Queensland School of Medicine and Centre for Clinical Research, Brisbane, Australia. Electronic address: jonathan.golledge@jcu.edu.au.
² University of Queensland School of Medicine and Centre for Clinical Research, Brisbane, Australia.
³ Department of Vascular Surgery, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, Australia.
⁴ The Vascular Biology Unit, Queensland Research Centre for Peripheral Vascular Disease, School of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia.
⁵ The Vascular Biology Unit, Queensland Research Centre for Peripheral Vascular Disease, School of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia; University of Queensland School of Medicine and Centre for Clinical Research, Brisbane, Australia; Department of Vascular Surgery, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, Australia.

PMID: 24095041
DOI: 10.1016/j.jvs.2013.08.036

Abstract

Objective: Most abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) contain intraluminal thrombus (ILT), which has been demonstrated to contain proteolytic enzymes and proinflammatory cytokines implicated in AAA progression and rupture. In animal models, anticoagulants have been shown to limit AAA progression. Whether ILT plays a role in AAA rupture is unknown. The aim of this study was to compare the volume of ILT in patients with ruptured and intact AAAs.

Methods: We matched by maximum axial diameter alone, on a 1:2 basis, 28 patients with ruptured AAAs and 56 patients with intact AAAs. Total infrarenal aortic volume and ILT volume were measured from computed tomography angiograms using a previously validated and reproducible semiautomated workstation protocol. Clinical risk factors were also recorded. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare ILT volumes between patients with ruptured and intact AAAs.

Results: Median (interquartile range [IQR]) maximum AAA diameter (84.0 [77.5-93.9] mm vs 82.6 [77.1-93.3] mm; P = .769) and median (IQR) total AAA volume (372.8 [277.4-486.1] cm(3) vs 358.4 [289.1-563.4] cm(3); P = .977) were similar in patients with ruptured and intact AAAs. Median (IQR) AAA ILT volume was similar in patients with ruptured (152.7 [84.8-252.4] cm(3)) and intact (180.1 [89.9-254.8] cm(3); P = .414) AAAs.

Conclusions: This study suggests that ILT volume is not different in ruptured and intact AAAs.

Publication types

Comparative Study
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / complications
Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / diagnostic imaging*
Aortic Rupture / diagnostic imaging*
Aortic Rupture / etiology
Aortography / methods*
Chi-Square Distribution
Disease Progression
Female
Humans
Male
Multidetector Computed Tomography*
Predictive Value of Tests
Prognosis
Retrospective Studies
Risk Factors
Thrombosis / diagnostic imaging*
Thrombosis / etiology