title: Increased cardiovascular risk without generalized arterial dilating diathesis in persons who do not have abdominal aortic aneurysm but who are first-degree relatives of abdominal aortic aneurysm patients.
abstract: There is a strong genetic predisposition towards abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), but it is unknown whether persons without AAA but with first-degree relatives who are AAA patients have a generalized dilating diathesis, defect arterial wall mechanics, or increased cardiovascular risk. The aim of the study was to investigate arterial diameters and wall mechanics at multiple arterial sites in these subjects and compare them with controls without a family history of AAA. This study included 118 first-degree relatives of patients with AAA and 66 controls (age: 40-80 years). The abdominal aorta, common carotid artery, common femoral artery, and popliteal artery were investigated by echo-tracking ultrasound. The relatives had no arterial dilatation, but they did tend to have smaller diameters than controls. Relatives had a higher heart rate, diastolic blood pressure, and mean arterial pressure than controls. The distensibility coefficient and the compliance coefficient were decreased in all arteries in male relatives, adjusted for age and smoking; these coefficients were normalized after adjustment for mean arterial pressure and heart rate. Female relatives had a lower compliance coefficient in the abdominal aorta, adjusted for age and smoking. After adjustment for mean arterial pressure and heart rate, the difference disappeared. No general arterial dilatation in relatives without AAA was found, supporting the hypothesis that the dilating diathesis is linked to the aneurysmal manifestation in the abdominal aorta. Although the threat of aneurysmal dilatation and rupture seems to be lacking in these subjects, heart rate, blood pressure, and arterial wall stiffness were all increased, which may indicate a higher risk of developing cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Diagnostics, Department of Clinical Physiology, Region Jönköping County, Jönköping, Sweden.|Department of Natural Science and Biomedicine, School of Health Sciences, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De Basso
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Capio Lundby Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sandgren
authors.affiliation: Clinical Physiology and Nuclearmedicine Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.
authors.forename: Åsa Rydén
authors.initials: ÅR
authors.lastname: Ahlgren
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medical and Health Science, Faculty of Health Science, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.|Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Linköping University Hospital, Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Toste
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Länne
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004108:Dilatation, Pathologic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D004198:Disease Susceptibility / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014463:Ultrasonography
keywords: aneurysmal dilatation; arterial diameter; arterial stiffness; blood pressure