Editorial: Abdominal aortic aneurysms: advancements in diagnosis, biomarkers, drug therapeutics, surgical and endovascular treatment

Editorial on the Research Topic Abdominal aortic aneurysms: advancements in diagnosis, biomarkers, drug therapeutics, surgical and endovascular treatment An abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a dilated aorta with the diameter 1.5 times the normal one, involving all three anatomical layers.AAAs mostly remain asymptomatic until the aneurysm ruptures, which can be unpredictable and fatal, with a mortality rate of over 50% (1).Current guidelines recommend watchful waiting and lifestyle adjustment for smaller, slow-growing aneurysms, while elective/prophylactic surgical repairs are recommended for larger aneurysms that have grown beyond certain thresholds (55 mm for males and 50 mm for females) (2, 3).Considerable advancements have been made in the management of AAA, specifically in endovascular treatment, through the development of novel stent grafts and synthetic grafts that cater to intricate and challenging aortic anatomies.Unfortunately, there are no effective medical therapies for AAA, especially for newly diagnosed patients who do not have surgical indications (4).Despite the fact that many drugs, such as Doxycycline and Rapamycin, demonstrated efficacy in animal models, the outcomes of clinical trials are disappointing (5-7).For asymptomatic AAAs, aortic ruptures are life-threatening.Early detection for impending rupture of AAA is still inaccessible.An increasing number of researchers are dedicating their efforts to studying AAA, resulting in significant progress in the field.In this research topic, an international selection of researchers contributed original research, case reports, and up-to-date reviews to enhance our current understanding of AAA.These studies have focused on various aspects of this disease, including improved methods of diagnosis, predictable biomarkers, drug therapeutics, and surgical and endovascular treatments. Basic research worksSeveral contributions in this research topic focused on identifying biomarkers and potential treatment options.