title: A population based screening of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA).
abstract: The prevalence of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) in a defined population of elderly men and its correlation to some risk factors were studied in the population cohort "men born in 1914 from Malmö". A total of 499 were invited to attend and 375 (75%) did so. The aorta could be visualised with ultrasound in 364 patients, 39 (10.7%) of whom had aneurysmal changes. The presence of an AAA was related to the findings at a general health examination undertaken 5 years previously. Tobacco and alcohol consumption, impaired lung function and a history of angina pectoris were related to the presence of an AAA. No relationship was found between an AAA and hypertension, hyperlipidaemia or hyperglycaemia. A decreased tissue elasticity as a common denominator for the lung function impairment and development of AAA is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Lund University, Malmö General Hospital, Sweden.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bengtsson
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bergqvist
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ekberg
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Janzon
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal; D001014:Aortic Aneurysm / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D014463:Ultrasonography