A national vascular disease screening program funded by the Society of Interventional Radiology has found that one out of every 20 persons screened has an abdominal aortic aneurysm, according to results presented today at the SIR annual meeting in Phoenix.
The results include the nearly 46,000 people who have participated in SIR’s annual “Legs For Life” screenings each September since 2000. Around 25% of those participants were found to be at risk for AAA, according to SIR.
Of the 5% found to already have an AAA, 5.3% had aneurysms larger than 5 cm -- generally the definitive threshold for treatment to prevent rupture. Another 22.5% had aneurysms larger than 3.5 cm, which are deemed to require monitoring under current guidelines.
The Legs for Life program was founded in 1997. It screens volunteers for peripheral vascular disease, stroke, heart disease, and AAA through a risk-assessment questionnaire, followed by ultrasound exams for those found at risk.
Risk factors for AAA include age (60 or older), smoking, and family history of AAA or other conditions involving the vascular system, including heart disease and diabetes. Men are also more likely to develop AAA than women.
Nearly 300,000 people have participated in Legs for Life since 1998, making it the nation’s largest and longest-running vascular screening program.
By AuntMinnie.com staff writersMarch 30, 2004
Related Reading
Coalition seeks Medicare coverage for AAA screening, March 30, 2004
Quick ultrasound screening for AAA recommended in older men, September 27, 2002
Ultrasound screening of older men reduces aortic aneurysm mortality, July 30, 2002
Normal ultrasound finding in elderly men rules out AAA for life, July 25, 2002
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