Inflammatory abdominal aortic aneurysm: clinical features and long term outcome in comparison with atherosclerotic abdominal aortic aneurysm.
BACKGROUND
Inflammatory abdominal aortic aneurysms (IAAAs) are rare but distinct clinical entities of atherosclerotic abdominal aortic aneurysms (aAAAs). In this study we report a 20-year single institution experience for IAAA and analyze their clinical features and long term outcome in comparison with aAAA.


METHODS
Between 1988 and 2008, 412 cases of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) underwent elective surgical operations, 11 (2.7%) of whom were diagnosed as IAAAs and 389 (94.4%) were diagnosed as aAAAs. The former group was matched in a case control fashion to a group of 33 patients with aAAAs having similar characteristics of age, gender, and preoperative risk factors. All available clinical, pathologic, and postoperative variables were retrospectively reviewed, and the two groups were compared.


RESULTS
The two groups did not differ significantly in clinical characteristics and preoperative risk factors, although patients with IAAAs were significantly more symptomatic (100% vs. 42.4%, P = 0.001) and had larger aneurysms on admission ((7.4 +/- 0.7) cm vs. (6.3 +/- 0.9) cm, P = 0.006). In IAAAs, the preoperative erythrocyte sedimentation rate was found to be significantly elevated compared to aAAA group ((44.5 +/- 9.1) mm/h vs. (11.4 +/- 5.4) mm/h, P < 0.05). Surgical morbidity and mortality rates did not differ between the two groups. The operation time for patients with IAAAs was significantly longer than that for patients with aAAAs ((308 +/- 36) minutes vs. (224 +/- 46) minutes, P < 0.05), but the cross-clamp time was similar in both groups ((41.5 +/- 6.2) minutes vs. (41.8 +/- 6.2) minutes, P = 0.92). A five-year survival rate analysis showed no significant difference between the two groups (P = 0.711).


CONCLUSIONS
Despite having more symptoms, larger size and longer operation time, patients with IAAA can now be treated with approaches that cause low morbidity and mortality, similar to patients with aAAA. Long term outcome of IAAA patients is of no difference from aAAA patients.
Yin
Ming-di
MD
Department of Colon and Rectum Surgery, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Shenyang, Liaoning 110042, China.
Zhang
Jian
J
Wang
Shao-ye
SY
Duan
Zhi-quan
ZQ
Xin
Shi-jie
SJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome