title: Aortic aneurysm screening in a high-risk population: a non-contrast computed tomography study in korean males with hypertension.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Screening strategies for aortic aneurysm (AA) according to risk factors and ethnicity are controversial. This study explored the prevalence of AA and determined whether screening is necessary in a population of multiple risk factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  From June, 2012 to April, 2013, 542 consecutive elderly (≥65 years) male hypertensive patients without a history of AA were prospectively enrolled. After excluding 15 patients (2.8%) with aortic valve surgery, 30 patients (5.5%) with suboptimal computed tomography (CT) images, the remaining 496 patients (age 73±5 years) comprised the study population. Maximal diameters of the thoracic and abdominal aorta were measured using non-contrast CT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of thoracic AA (TAA, diameter ≥40 mm) and abdominal AA (AAA, diameter ≥30 mm) was 36.5% (181/496) and 6.0% (30/496), respectively. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, determinants for TAA were age {odds ratio (OR) 1.059, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.018-1.101, p=0.005}, dyslipidemia (OR 0.621, 95% CI 0.418-0.923, p=0.018), body surface area (OR 11.92, 95% CI 2.787-50.97, p=0.001), diastolic blood pressure (OR 1.029, 95% CI 1.009-1.049, p=0.004) and AAA (OR 3.070, 95% CI 1.398-6.754, p=0.005). In contrast, AAA was independently associated with dysplipidemia (OR 2.792, 95% CI 1.091-7.143, p=0.032), current/past smokerfs (OR 4.074, 95% CI 1.160-14.31, p=0.028), and TAA (OR 3.367, 95% CI 1.550-7.313, p=0.002).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of AA was significant and TAA was more prevalent than AAA in elderly Korean males with hypertension. Future research should establish distinct screening strategies for TAA and AAA according to risk factors and ethnicity.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Severance Cardiovascular Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: In-Jeong
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Severance Cardiovascular Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sung-Yeol
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Severance Cardiovascular Hospital, Seoul, Korea. ; Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyuk-Jae
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Severance Cardiovascular Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sanghoon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Severance Cardiovascular Hospital, Seoul, Korea. ; Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Chi Young
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Shim
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Severance Cardiovascular Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Geu-Ru
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Severance Cardiovascular Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Namsik
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chung
keywords: Aneurysm; Aorta; Computed tomography; Prevalence