Key result
The incidence of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm decreased to 4.0 per 100,000 person-years after screening implementation, though a decrease was already evident before screening began.
Why the study?
Does the implementation of AAA screening reduce the incidence of ruptured AAA in the general population?
Observational
No
Does the implementation of AAA screening reduce the incidence of ruptured AAA in the general population?
Absolute Event Rate: 4% vs 6.1%
The incidence of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm in men was already decreasing before the implementation of screening, making it difficult to attribute further reductions solely to the screening program.
Pre-existing declines in ruptured AAA incidence caution against attributing reductions to screening alone; leaves open the isolated effect of programs.
BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) has led to a decrease in ruptured AAA (rAAA) incidence. METHOD: The Malmö population was evaluated regarding the incidence of rAAA and elective AAA surgery 4 years before and after start of AAA-screening in 2010. Data from 1971 to 1986 (J Vasc Surg 18:74-80, 1993) and 2000-2004 (J Vasc Surg 44:237-43, 2006), enabled analysis of trends over time. RESULTS: Analysis of time-periods 1971-1986, 2000-2004, 2006-2010 and 2010-2014 showed an incidence of rAAA of 5.6 (4.9-6.3), 10.6 (8.9-12.4), 6.1 (4.6-7.6) and 4.0 (2.9-5.1), respectively. In men aged 60-69 years the incidences were 16.0 (10.7-21.3), 45.6 (27.7-63.4), 19.3 (9.2-35.3) and 8.9 (2.8-20.6), respectively. The incidences of elective AAA surgery in men aged 60-69 years were 22.9 (16.5-29.2), 34.6 (19.1-50.2), 9.7 (1.2-18.5) and 44.2 (27.0-61.6), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: A decrease in incidence of rAAA in men was evident before the implementation of screening. We were yet not able to demonstrate a certain reduction in rAAA incidence after the start of screening.
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Otterhag et al. (2016) conducted an observational in Ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA). AAA screening program vs. Time period before screening (2006-2010) was evaluated on Incidence of rAAA per 100,000 person-years. The incidence of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm decreased to 4.0 per 100,000 person-years after screening implementation, though a decrease was already evident before screening began.
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