title: The prevalence of abdominal aortic aneurysms in the rural/urban population in central Poland - Gniewkowo Aortic Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a widening of the aorta below the renal arteries with a diameter equal to or greater than 3 cm. The prevalence of AAA is estimated at 4-8% in men aged 65 years or older and 1-2% among women over 65 years old. Participation in screening programmes has decreased the number of aortic ruptures.
  
  
  METHODS
  All men aged 60 years and older, and women aged 65 years and older living in the rural/urban commune in central Poland were invited to participate in the study. In total 922 persons (61% of the invited population) entered the study. The men were divided into two groups: 60-64 years old, and 65 years and older. Screening abdomen ultrasound was performed and demographic data was collected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 922 examined persons two (1.01%) AAAs were diagnosed in the group of men 60-64 years of age, three (0.82%) AAAs amongst women ≥ 65 years old, and 33 (9.29%) AAAs were found in the group of men aged 65 years and older. A positive relationship between the presence of AAA and smoking (p = 0.0048), age of men (p = 0.0009), and history of myocardial infarction/acute coronary syndrome (MI/ACS) (p = 0.0079) was found. There was no correlation between the frequency of AAA and diabetes mellitus (p = 0.46), hypertension (p = 0.38), and family history of AAA (p = 0.44).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of AAA in men aged 65 years and older is seemingly larger than in previously conducted studies, while among men 60-64 years of age and women aged ≥ 65 it is similar. Older age, smoking, and a history of MI/ACS were the most important risk factors of AAA occurrence.
authors.affiliation: Out-Patient Clinic Esculap, Gniewkowo, Poland, Poland. tadziude@wp.pl.
authors.forename: Tadeusz L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Dereziński
authors.forename: Bartosz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fórmankiewicz
authors.forename: Arkadiusz
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Migdalski
authors.forename: Paweł
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brazis
authors.forename: Grzegorz
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jakubowski
authors.forename: Łukasz
authors.initials: Ł
authors.lastname: Woda
authors.forename: Arkadiusz
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jawień
mesh_terms: D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012907:Smoking; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014505:Urban Population
keywords: abdominal aortic aneurysm; population studies; prevalence; screening; ultrasonography