Increased growth rate of abdominal aortic aneurysms in women. The Tromsø study.
OBJECTIVE
The present study was undertaken in order to assess the effect of gender on the growth rate of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs).


METHODS
One hundred and eighty-five men and 49 women with AAAs were studied, mean follow-up 62 months, giving 14,544 patient-months of follow-up. A mean of 16 ultrasound examinations was performed on each patient.


RESULTS
The mean growth rate was 1.82; 1.65 and 2.43 mm per year in men and women, respectively. In a weighted linear regression analysis, high initial diameter and female gender were independent and significant (p < 0.001 and p = 0.003, respectively) predictors for increased growth rate of AAAs. None of the other considered risk factors predicted the growth rate.


CONCLUSIONS
This is the first study to report a significantly different growth rate of AAAs in females compared to males. It, thus, adds evidence to the view that AAA is a more malignant condition in females than in males and could have implications for the frequency of follow-up in women.
Solberg
S
S
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, University Hospital of North-Norway, Tromsø, Norway. steinar.solberg@rikshospitalet.no
Singh
K
K
Wilsgaard
T
T
Jacobsen
B K
BK
D000368:Aged; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography