title: Association between human parainfluenza virus type 1 and smoking history in patients with an abdominal aortic aneurysm.
abstract: Several studies have suggested that infectious agents may induce the development of abdominal aortic aneurysms and/or accelerate their progression. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of the respiratory-transmitted viruses such as influenza A and B and parainfluenza type 1 genomes in bioptic fragments of abdominal aortic aneurysms. Furthermore, the association between viral infection and traditional risk factors for aneurysms was investigated employing multivariate logistic regression models. The genome of parainfluenza 1 was detected in 11 out of 57 patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm, influenza A only in one, whereas none of the specimens analyzed resulted positive for influenza B. After adjustment of age, gender, and clinical diagnosis, being current smokers was associated independently with parainfluenza 1 detection in aneurysms. The identification of parainfluenza 1 in aortic aneurysm biopsies supports previous observations of a possible role of viruses in the lesion development. Smoking, by interfering with the respiratory tract's ability to defend itself and predisposing to upper and lower respiratory tract infections may accelerate the onset and progression of abdominal aortic aneurysms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Applied Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy. emirenagarrafamed@gmail.com
authors.forename: Emirena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Garrafa
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marengoni
authors.forename: Rosalba Della
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Nave
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Caimi
authors.forename: Edoardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cervi
authors.forename: Stefano Maria
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Giulini
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Imberti
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bonardelli
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000821:virology; D001706:Biopsy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009981:Influenza B virus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010222:Parainfluenza Virus 1, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010253:Respirovirus Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*