Routine Screening for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm in the Echocardiography Laboratory Using a "Modified" Abdominal Aortic Examination Protocol

Routine Abdominal Aortic Examination During Echocardiographic Studies Detects Significant Numbers of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm and Should be a Part of Routine Echocardiographic Examinations

BACKGROUND

Early detection and follow-up of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) are important and can be lifesaving. The goal of this study was to evaluate if routine abdominal aorta screenings during echocardiograms can be helpful in detecting asymptomatic abdominal aortic aneurysm.

METHODS

We retrospective studied consecutive patients who were sent for outpatient routine echocardiograms for various clinical reasons in 2015-2017 until we reached a total of 1000 patients. Starting from the subcostal and then proceeding to the abdomen, a long-axis screening of the abdominal aorta was attempted on all of the patients after the echocardiogram was completed. No patient preparation was given. Imaging began from the subcostal view and proceeded caudally with images obtained every 1-2 cm. Measurement of the aortic diameter was performed from the longitudinal plane using the leading-edge-to-leading-edge method.

RESULTS

The age range was 33-96 years with a median age of 72.4. A total of 273 (27.3%) patients did not have an appropriate window to evaluate AAA. Among the remaining 727 screenings, 18 (2.4%) had dilatation of abdominal aorta or AAA. The dilatation and aneurysms ranged between 2.5 and 4.5 cm in size. Abnormal aortic diameters were as follows: 5 (27.7%) were between 2.5 and 2.9 cm, 6 (33.3%) between 3 and 3.4 cm, 1 (5.5%) between 3.5 and 3.9, 5 (27.7%) between 4.0 and 4.4 cm, and 1 (5.5%) between 4.5 and 4.9 cm.

CONCLUSIONS

Performing routine abdominal aortic examinations during routine echocardiographic exams can detect a significant amount of abdominal aortic aneurysm which can be lifesaving. We suggest adding abdominal aortic assessment to routine echocardiographic examination.

Screening of the Abdominal Aorta During Routine Echocardiographic Examination Is Cost-effective and Leads to Increase in Statin Utilization by Detecting Subclinical Atherosclerosis

BACKGROUND

Performing abdominal aorta screenings during routine echocardiographic examination can be useful for quick detection of asymptomatic abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) without additional cost. Furthermore, detection of any atherosclerosis of the aorta during this screening would qualify the patient for statin therapy, with potential to improve outcome. The goal of our study was to evaluate the effect of routine screening of abdominal aorta during echocardiographic examination.

METHODS

Recently, we started performing routine AAA screening during routine echocardiographic examinations. We retrospectively studied a total of 727 patients with successful screening between the ages of 33 and 96 years, with a median age of 72.4 years. We evaluate the presence of atherosclerosis of aorta and its effect on lipid therapy and detection of asymptomatic AAA.

RESULTS

We found 18 (2.4%) asymptomatic AAAs and 468 (64.3%) cases of atherosclerosis of abdominal aorta. Retrospectively, data were collected on preventative lipid therapy. Of the 468 patients who had detected atherosclerosis of aorta, 414 patients had clinical follow up; 240 (57.9%) patients were already treated with a statin due to another indication. However, 38 (9.1%) of these patients had been started on statin drugs for the first time, 85 (20.5%) were set a new lower low density lipoprotein cholesterol goal, and 41 (9.9%) had an intensified statin treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Using a routine screening of the abdominal aorta during standard echocardiograms can markedly improve preventive statin therapy in patients, with asymptomatic atherosclerosis detected during screening without additional cost and detect some AAA.

Clinical Efficacy of Transthoracic Echocardiography for Screening Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm in Turkish Patients

BACKGROUND

The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) in Turkish patients aged ≥ 65 years, and to demonstrate the applicability of echocardiography to AAA screening.

METHODS

Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) was performed in all consecutive patients aged ≥ 65 years who were referred to cardiology clinics or were referred from other outpatient clinics. The abdominal aorta (AA) of each patient was scanned using the same probe, and the time spent was recorded. Demographic and clinic characteristics of the patients were recorded at the end of the echocardiography.

RESULTS

Among 1948 patients (mean age 70.9 ± 6 years; 49.8% male), the AA was visualized in 96.3%. AAA was identified in 3.7% (69/1878) of the patients, of whom AAA was previously known in 20.3% (n = 14). The prevalence of unknown AAA was 2.93%. The average time needed to scan and measure the AA was 1 minute and 3 seconds (±23 seconds). Aortic root diameters were significantly higher in the patients with AAA than in those without AAA (34.7 ± 4.2 vs. 29.8 ± 4.7; p < 0.001). Age (per 1 year increase) [odds ratio (OR), 1.245; p < 0.001], male gender (OR, 5.382; p < 0.001), smoking (OR, 2.118; p = 0.037), and aortic root diameter (per 1 mm increase) (OR, 1.299; p < 0.001) were independent predictors of AAA.

CONCLUSIONS

This study is important in that it showed a high prevalence of AAA in Turkish patients aged ≥ 65 years, and demonstrated that AAA can be visualized in the majority of patients in as little as 1 minute during TTE.