title: The incidence of iliac aneurysms in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms: comparison of four centers in Europe and the USA.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to compare the anatomy of the aortoiliac vessels in patients scheduled for infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair in four different countries.
  
  
  METHODS
  Consecutives series of 100 preoperative CT-scans were evaluated at each center. Diameters of the suprarenal aorta, maximal diameter of the aneurysm, right and left common and external iliac artery as well as the hypogastric arteries were recorded and compared between each center.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Configuration of the AAA above bifurcation was similar at each center. The dimensions of the aortic bifurcation and the common iliac arteries were different among the centers. Common iliac arteries with diameters over 25 mm were significantly more common at center 1 (p < 0.001, p = 0.002 and p < 0.001). Among centers 2, 3 and 4 there was no significant difference in common iliac diameters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Configuration of the iliac arteries in AAA was significantly different for Swiss patients compared to American, Austrian and German patients. Reasons for these differences are unclear, epidemiological or genetic factors may be responsible.
authors.affiliation: Vascular Unit Kantonsspital Aarau and University of Basle, Switzerland. teugster@uhbs
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Eugster
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bolli
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pfeiffer
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sandmann
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Chuter
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Messina
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mühlthaler
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lottersberger
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fraedrich
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gürke
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stierli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007083:Iliac Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology