Screening of siblings to patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms in Sweden.
OBJECTIVE
The prevalence of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) is higher for First Degree Relatives to AAA-patients compared to the general population, regardless of sex. The prevalence of AAA is also higher in the North of Sweden compared to the Mid and South. A regional strong hereditary trait has been suggested as an explanation to this. The aim of this study was to investigate if siblings to AAA-patients in the North have a higher prevalence of AAA compared to siblings in the Mid-region.


METHODS
Cohort study.


METHODS
All patients treated for AAA in a northern region (Norrbotten county, North) were screened for siblings. Consenting siblings, age 40-80, were examined (n = 379) with ultrasound. The results were compared to the previously published results of 150 ultrasound-screened siblings in the Mid-region (Stockholm county).


RESULTS
The male/female ratio in the sibling cohort was 48% vs 52%. The prevalence of AAA in siblings in the North was 37/379 (brothers 14%, sisters 6%). This was not different from the prevalence among the Mid-region siblings 16/150 (brothers 17%, sisters 6% (p = 0.75). The distribution of risk factors was similar in the two regions.


CONCLUSIONS
The results reinforce the importance of a more systematic approach towards selective screening of all siblings to AAA patients. Ultrasound should be performed in all eligible siblings, since the distribution of AAA is similar over regions. A correlation between the familial distribution and the reported high prevalence of AAA in general population in the North could not be shown.
a Section of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Department of Clinical Science and Education , Karolinska Institutet at Södersjukhuset , Stockholm , Sweden.
Anneli
A
Linné
b Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery , Karolinska Institutet , Luleå , Stockholm.|c Department of Surgery , Sunderby Hospital , Luleå , Sweden.
Johan
J
Forsberg
d Institute of Environmental Medicine, Unit of Cardiovascular Epidemiology , Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm , Sweden.
Karin
K
Leander
b Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery , Karolinska Institutet , Luleå , Stockholm.|e Department of Vascular Surgery , Karolinska University Hospital , Stockholm , Sweden.
Rebecka
R
Hultgren
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D035781:Siblings; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D014463:Ultrasonography
Abdominal aortic aneurysm; first degree relative; gender; heredity; prevalence; screening; sibling