Abdominal aortic aneurysms in familial hypercholesterolemia--case reports.
Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a genetic disease characterized by high serum cholesterol levels and premature coronary atherosclerosis. Hypercholesterolemia is one of the factors promoting the arteriosclerotic process and is a major cause of aortic aneurysm. Few data are available, however, about abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) in patients with FH. In this study, the clinical and angiographic characteristics of AAAs found in patients with FH were investigated. Thirty-one cases (23 men, 8 women, aged fifty +/- fourteen years) were examined by coronary angiography, thoracic and abdominal aortography, and clinical data. Abdominal aortography detected abdominal aneurysms in 8 cases (26%), all of whom were men, including 4 cases (50%) that were complicated by diabetes mellitus. The abdominal aneurysm patients manifested severe coronary atherosclerosis, severe abdominal aortic irregularity, and higher blood pressure than the nonaneurysm FH patients. These findings suggest that AAAs are an important and prevalent feature in FH, especially in men with diabetes mellitus and high blood pressure.
Second Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Kanazawa University, Japan.
Y
Y
Kita
M
M
Shimizu
N
N
Sugihara
K
K
Shimizu
M
M
Miura
J
J
Koizumi
H
H
Mabuchi
R
R
Takeda
D000328:Adult; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006938:Hyperlipoproteinemia Type II / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis