title: Impact of smoking on endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm surgery outcome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Smoking plays a major role in deficiencies of the vascular system, and seems to have consequences for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. We hypothesized that smokers have a higher mortality and more complications after endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm surgery than non-smokers.
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed mortality and complications of 3270 patients who underwent endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm surgery in Europe between January 1994 and July 2001. Survival and (post) operative complications were assessed by smoking status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mortality did not significantly differ between smokers and non-smokers. Smokers had a higher number of intra-operative additional procedures, but a lower number of late endoleaks in comparison to non-smokers. In addition, smokers had a reduced risk of late type II endoleaks in comparison with non-smokers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There seems to be no significant difference in endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm surgery outcome between smokers and non-smokers, although there were significant differences in intra-operative additional procedures and late endoleaks.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Technology Assessment, University Medical Centre St Radboud, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: P E M
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Lottman
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Van Marrewijk
authors.forename: G A J
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Fransen
authors.forename: R J F
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Laheij
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Buth
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012042:Registries; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016896:Treatment Outcome