Ultrasonographic kidney length-to-abdominal aortic diameter for the diagnosis of feline chronic kidney disease: A preliminary study.

Background and Aim: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is one of the most important diseases in cats. This study aimed to compare the ultrasonographic kidney length-to-abdominal aortic diameter (K/AO) ratio between healthy and CKD cats and investigate the correlation between K/AO and blood results. Materials and Methods: Fifteen healthy cats and 15 CKD cats were included in this clinically prospective study. All cats were evaluated for radiographic and ultrasonographic K, radiographic K-to-second lumbar length ratio (K/L2), and K/AO, indirect systolic blood pressure and plasma creatinine (Cr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and symmetric dimethyl arginine (SDMA). Results: The radiographic and ultrasonographic kidney lengths of CKD were significantly shorter than those of healthy cats (p < 0.05 and p < 0.05, respectively). The average K/L2 and K/AO were significantly lower in CKD than in healthy cats (p < 0.01 and p < 0.001, respectively). The K/AO had a strong negative correlation with plasma Cr (r = -0.7682, p < 0.0001), BUN (r = -0.6175, p < 0.001), and SDMA (r = -0.589, p < 0.001). However, K/L2 had a moderate negative correlation with plasma Cr (r = -0.5866, p < 0.001), BUN (r = -0.4884, p < 0.01), and SDMA (r = -0.5404, p < 0.01). The optimal cutoff value of K/AO (<10.71) had higher sensitivity and specificity than K/L2 for identifying feline CKD. Conclusion: Kidney length-to-abdominal aortic diameter could be a better and more promising parameter than the K/L2 ratio for evaluating kidney size in cats with CKD.

The TAGA Study: A Study of Factors Determining Aortic Diameter in Families at High Risk of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Reveal Two New Candidate Genes.

A variety of disorders are known to be related with aortic geometry, among them abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). This work aims to present the main determinants of abdominal aortic diameter in a new cohort of families at high risk of AAA. The Triple-A Genomic Analysis (TAGA) study comprises 407 individuals related in 12 families. Each family was collected through a proband with AAA. We calculated heritability and genetic correlations between abdominal aortic diameter and clinical parameters. A genome-wide linkage scan was performed based on 4.6 million variants. A predictive model was calculated with conditional forest. Heritability of the abdominal aortic diameter was 34%. Old age, male sex, higher height, weight, creatinine levels in serum, and better lung capacity were the best predictors of aortic diameter. Linkage analyses suggested the implication of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) and Betacellulin (BTC) genes with aortic diameter. This is the first study to evaluate genetic components of variation of the aortic diameter in a population of AAA high-risk individuals. These results reveal EGFR, a gene that had been previously implicated in AAA, as a determinant of aortic diameter variation in healthy genetically enriched individuals, and might indicate that a common genetic background could determine the diameter of the aorta and future risk of AAA.

Abdominal aortic diameter and its determinants among healthy adults in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: The abdominal aorta is the largest artery in the human body. Sonographic assessment of the abdominal aortic diameter is presently the preferred screening method for an aortic aneurysm. However, there are no customized nomograms for our population and the recommended cutoffs for screening may be inappropriate. The effect of factors such as age, gender, and body mass index (BMI) on the abdominal aortic dissection (AAD) among blacks has also not been extensively investigated. OBJECTIVE: To develop a nomogram of AAD at various levels in Nigerian adults using high-resolution B mode ultrasonography and to evaluate the effect of factors such as gender, age, and BMI on AAD. METHODOLOGY: This study involved a sonographic evaluation of the abdominal aortic diameter of 400 normal Nigerian adults aged 18 years and above over a period of 17 months. The scan was done using a 3.5-5 MHz curvilinear transducer on the Mindray ultrasound machine (model: DC-8, SN-QE3B001806). The AAD (mean ± SD) was correlated with age, gender, BMI, and body surface area (BSA). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20 for windows and P values <0.05 were considered significant. RESULTS: The mean AADs decreased from 1.58 ± 0.24 cm in the upper aorta (D1) to 1.40 ± 0.20 cm at the level of the renal arteries (D2) and 1.29 ± 0.23 cm at the bifurcation (D3). Mean AAD was significantly higher at all levels of the abdominal aorta (D1, D2, and D3) in males than in females (P < 0.00) and correlated positively with age (P = 0.00) and height (P = 0.00) at D2 and D3 levels. CONCLUSION: Absolute AADs were relatively smaller in adult Nigerians and this should be considered when setting up screening programs for abdominal aortic aneurysm in our population. Further studies are needed to determine factors affecting AAD.

¿Cuáles son los rangos de normalidad de los diámetros de la aorta infrarrenal, medidos con ultrasonografía 2D, en sujetos sin antecedentes de enfermedad vascular? / What are the normal ranges of the infrarenal aortic diameters measured with 2D ultrasound in subjects with no history of vascular disease?

El diámetro de la parte abdominal de la aorta (AAI), constituye un factor relevante para decidir reparar un aneurisma aórtico abdominal. El objetivo de este estudio es determinar rangos de normalidad de los diámetros de la AAI, medidos con ultrasonografía 2D, en sujetos sin antecedentes de enfermedad vascular. Estudio de corte transversal, realizado en los Hospitales Regional de Temuco y de Pitrufquen. Se estudiaron 399 sujetos mayores de 15 años, sin antecedentes de enfermedad vascular, que consultaron por cuadros de dolor abdominal. Se realizó ultrasonografía 2D con dos equipos diferentes (General Electric RT3200 Advantage II y Medison co. Ltda. Modelo SA-600; ambos con transductores de 3,5 Mhz.) y por dos observadores independientes. Las variables resultado fueron diámetros antero-posterior (DAP) y transverso (DT) de la AA. Otras variables de interés fueron: sexo, edad índice peso/talla y superficie corporal. Se aplicó estadística descriptiva, inferencial aplicando t test para variables continuas, x2 para variables categóricas, ANOVA y Kruskal Wallis para comparación de grupos; estudios de correlación y una regresión lineal simple. El DAP promedio fue de 16,1 ± 2,2 mm (9 a 23 mm) y el DT promedio fue de 19,4 ±2,7 mm (11 a 26 mm). Se observaron DAP y DT significativamente mayores en el subgrupo de >50 años y en hombres. Hubo correlación positiva entre índice peso/talla-DAP (p=0,0321) e índice peso/talla-DT (p=0,0052), más relevante en el subgrupo femenino. Por otra parte, se demostró correlación positiva entre DAP y superficie corporal (p<0.0001) y DT y superficie corporal (p<0.0001). Sexo, edad y superficie corporal se asocian con DAP y DT más elevados. Al parecer la población estudiada posee AAI de menor diámetro promedio que lo descrito en la literatura internacional.

The diameter of the abdominal aorta (AA), is a relevant factor to repair an abdominal aortic aneurysm. The aim of this study is to determine the normal range of the diameter of the infrarenal AA according 2D ultrasonography in patients with no history of vascular disease. Cross-sectional study, conducted in Hospital Regional of Temuco and Pitrufquen in 399 subjects over 15 years, with no history of vascular disease, who consulted for abdominal pain cadres were studied. 2D ultrasonography was performed with two different computers (General Electric RT3200 Advantage II and co Medison. Ltda. Model SA-600, both with 3.5 MHz transducers.) and two independent observers. The outcome variables were anteroposterior diameters (DAP) and transverse (TD) of AA. Other variables of interest were: sex, age index weight / height and body surface. Descriptive statistics were applied, applying inferential t test for continuous variables, x2 for categorical variables and Kruskal Wallis ANOVA for comparison of groups; correlation studies and linear regression. DAP average was 16.1 ± 2.2 mm (9-23 mm) and DT average was 19.4 ± 2.7 mm (11-26 mm). DAP and DT was significantly higher in the subgroup age > 50 and in men. There was a positive correlation between weight / height-DAP (p=0.0321) and index weight / height-DT (p=0.0052), the more relevant in the female subgroup index. Moreover, positive correlation between DAP and body surface area (p<0.0001) and DT and body surface area (p<0.0001) was demonstrated. Sex, age and body surface area are associated with higher DAP and DT. Apparently our population has lower average diameter aortas that described in the international literature.

Risk diagnosis based on diameter of abdominal aortic aneurysm.

An abdominal aortic aneurysm doesn't result in specific symptoms, and so providing a successful diagnosis can be challenging. Patients may require surgery for successful treatment, with the risk of aortic rupture being dependent on diameter. In this study, a CT screen of a patient with an aneurysm of the abdominal aorta was processed. In order to provide a more accurate and comfortable diagnosis, and to more easily determine the diameter of the abdominal aortic aneurysm, the Sobel and Top-hat methods were employed. Using a filtered screen overlap for the CT scan, the aortic diameter of a patient could be compared with the diameter of a healthy individual, thus allowing an immediate and accurate comparison. It was found that with a diameter of more than 40 mm the risk of rupture is higher.

Abdominal Aortic Diameter and the Risk for Asymptomatic Peripheral Arterial Disease in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes.

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is common among older people because it often results from atherosclerosis, which becomes more common with age. The disease is particularly common among people who have diabetes. Little information is available on the relation between abdominal aortic diameter and PAD in elderly patients with diabetes. This article studies the relationships between abdominal aortic diameter, PAD, and the cardiovascular risk factors in asymptomatic elderly patients suffering from type 2 diabetes mellitus. A case-control study was conducted on 90 participants aged 60 years and older divided into 60 cases (30 males and 30 females) and 30 age-matched healthy controls (15 males and 15 females). The relationships between the size of the abdominal aorta and ankle-brachial index (ABI), plasma cholesterol, triglycerides (TG), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein were examined. Approximately, 15% of patients with diabetes had asymptomatic PAD. The patients with diabetes with PAD were of older age (70.4 ± 3.6 vs. 63.4 ± 3.9 years; p = 0.000), had larger abdominal aortic diameter (22.4 ± 3.08 vs. 18.7 ± 2 mm; p = 0.000), and higher CRP levels (8.3 ± 1.1 vs. 5.8 ± 2.2 mg/L; p = 0.002), while other variables revealed no significant difference. Abdominal aortic diameter correlated well with ABI measured by Doppler method in diabetic patients (r = - 0.471, p = 0.000). Older age and larger abdominal aorta are independent risk factors for asymptomatic PAD in the elderly with type 2 diabetes mellitus.