ABSTRACT
In order to determine any possible influence of climatic variables on the incidence of abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture, we reviewed 49,144 autopsies performed in two major hospitals in Rome, Italy, from January 1956 to March 1986. There were 297 subjects who were found to be sufferers of atherosclerotic abdominal aortic aneurysm for a prevalence of 0.6%. The aneurysm was intact in 220 cases (74%) and ruptured in 77 cases (26%). The highest incidence of ruptured aneurysm occurred during the Autumn and in the months May and July. The incidence of ruptured aneurysm was highest in case of significant changes of the atmospheric temperature. There was no correlation between the incidence of ruptured aneurysm and barometric pressure or humidity.
Subject(s)
Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal/epidemiology , Aortic Rupture/epidemiology , Humans , Prevalence , Rome/epidemiology , Seasons , TemperatureABSTRACT
The Authors report their experience about fifty patients affected with renovascular hypertension, treated by percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) for stenosis of main renal artery and now studied by Duplex-Scan and Color-doppler. Results, compared with arterial pressure measurements, renography and laboratory renal function evaluation, showed a sensibility of 84%, specificity of 90% and an accuracy of 87.5%. Advantages and limits of Duplex-scan in patients treated by PTA are briefly discussed.
Subject(s)
Angioplasty, Balloon , Renal Artery Obstruction/therapy , Ultrasonography , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Hypertension, Renovascular/diagnostic imaging , Renal Artery Obstruction/diagnostic imaging , Time FactorsABSTRACT
The gross findings of 49,144 autopsies performed at two major hospitals in Rome were reviewed. There were 297 patients who were found to have atherosclerotic abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). The aneurysm was intact in 220 (74 per cent) and ruptured in 77 (26 per cent). The occurrence of aneurysm rupture was correlated to 17 variables by univariate and multivariate statistical analysis. Covariates found to be independently predictive of the rupture of AAA were the size of the aneurysm (p less than 0.001), arterial hypertension (p less than 0.001) and the presence of bronchiectasis (p less than 0.025.). Over-all, bronchiectasis was more common among patients with AAA than in the age-adjusted and sex-adjusted control population. The simultaneous presence of bronchiectasis and AAA suggests the presence of some inherited or acquired tendency to have ectasia of the connective tissue, aneurysm formation and rupture development.