Background
A substantial proportion of patients with a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA) die outside hospital. The objective of this study was to estimate the total mortality, including ...prehospital deaths, of patients with rAAA.
Methods
This was a systematic review and meta‐analysis following the MOOSE guidelines. The Embase, MEDLINE and Cochrane Library databases were searched. All population‐based studies reporting both prehospital and in‐hospital mortality in patients with rAAA were included. Studies were assessed for methodological quality and heterogeneity, and pooled estimates of mortality from rAAA were calculated using a random‐effects model.
Results
From a total of 3667 studies, 24 retrospective cohort studies, published between 1977 and 2012, met the inclusion criteria. The quality of included studies varied, in particular the method of determining prehospital deaths from rAAA. The estimated pooled total mortality rate was 81 (95 per cent confidence interval 78 to 83) per cent. A decline in mortality was observed over time (P = 0·002); the pooled estimate of total mortality in high‐quality studies before 1990 was 86 (83 to 89) per cent, compared with 74 (72 to 77) per cent since 1990. Some 32 (27 to 37) per cent of patients with rAAA died before reaching hospital. The in‐hospital non‐intervention rate was 40 (33 to 47) per cent, which also declined over the years.
Conclusion
The pooled estimate of total mortality from rAAA is very high, although it has declined over the years. Most patients die outside hospital, and there is no surgical intervention in a considerable number of those who survive to reach hospital.
Still high
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Background
Multiple treatment options are generally available for most diseases. Shared decision‐making (SDM) helps patients and physicians choose the treatment option that best fits a patient's ...preferences. This review aimed to assess the extent to which SDM is applied during surgical consultations, and the metrics used to measure SDM and SDM‐related outcomes.
Methods
This was a systematic review of observational studies and clinical trials that measured SDM during consultations in which surgery was a treatment option. Embase, MEDLINE and CENTRAL were searched. Study selection, quality assessment and data extraction were conducted by two investigators independently.
Results
Thirty‐two articles were included. SDM was measured using nine different metrics. Thirty‐six per cent of 13 176 patients and surgeons perceived their consultation as SDM, as opposed to patient‐ or surgeon‐driven. Surgeons more often perceived the decision‐making process as SDM than patients (43·6 versus 29·3 per cent respectively). SDM levels scored objectively using the OPTION and Decision Analysis System for Oncology instruments ranged from 7 to 39 per cent. Subjective SDM levels as perceived by surgeons and patients ranged from 54 to 93 per cent. Patients experienced a higher level of SDM during consultations than surgeons (93 versus 84 per cent). Twenty‐five different SDM‐related outcomes were reported.
Conclusion
At present, SDM in surgery is still in its infancy, although surgeons and patients both think of it favourably. Future studies should evaluate the effect of new interventions to improve SDM during surgical consultations, and its assessment using available standardized and validated metrics.
Heterogeneous data
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Background Methods are required to identify abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) at increased risk of rupture. Inflammatory characteristics of AAA can be visualised using advanced imaging techniques and ...have been proposed as potential predictors of aneurysm progression. The objective of this review was to determine which inflammatory imaging biomarkers are associated with AAA growth and rupture. Methods A systematic review was carried out in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. The electronic databases of Medline (PubMed), Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched up to January 1, 2016 for studies to determine the potential association between inflammatory imaging biomarkers and AAA growth or rupture. Results Seven studies were included, comprising 202 AAA patients.18 F-fluoro-deoxy-glucose positron emission tomography (18 F-FDG PET-CT) was evaluated in six studies. Magnetic resonance imaging with ultrasmall superparamagnetic particles of iron oxide (USPIO-MRI) was evaluated in one study. Two of six18 F-FDG PET-CT studies reported a significant negative correlation ( r = .383, p = .015) or a significant negative association ( p = .04). Four of six18 F-FDG PET-CT studies reported no significant association between18 F-FDG uptake and AAA growth. The single study investigating USPIO-MRI demonstrated that AAA growth was three times higher in patients with focal USPIO uptake in the AAA wall compared to patients with diffuse or no USPIO uptake in the wall (0.66 vs. 0.24 vs. 0.22 cm/y, p = .020). In the single study relating18 F-FDG uptake results to AAA rupture, the association was not significant. Conclusions Current evidence shows contradictory associations between18 F-FDG uptake and AAA growth. Data on the association with rupture are insufficient. Based on the currently available evidence, neither18 F-FDG PET-CT nor USPIO-MRI can be implemented as growth or rupture prediction tools in daily practice. The heterogeneous results reflect the complex and partially unclear relationship between inflammatory processes and AAA progression.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Objective To assess current knowledge for the management of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), based on the 1-year outcomes of 3 recent randomised trials. Methods An individual patient data ...meta-analysis of three recent randomised trials of endovascular versus open repair, including 817 patients, was conducted according to a pre-specified analysis plan, report all-cause mortality and re-interventions at 1 year after the index event. Results Mortality across the 3 trials at 1-year was 38.6% for the EVAR or endovascular strategy patient groups and 42.8% for the open repair groups, pooled odds ratio 0.84 (95% CI 0.63–1.11), p = .209. There was no evidence of heterogeneity in the odds ratios between trials. When the patients in the endovascular strategy group of the IMPROVE trial were restricted to those with proven rupture who were anatomically suitable for endovascular repair, the pooled odds ratio reduced slightly to 0.80 (95% CI 0.56–1.16), p = .240. Conclusions After 1 year there is a consistent but non-significant trend for lower mortality for EVAR or an endovascular strategy. Taken together with the recent gains in health economic outcomes demonstrated at 1 year in the IMPROVE trial, the evidence suggests that endovascular repair should be used more widely for ruptured aneurysms.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Objectives Biomechanical characteristics, such as wall stress, are important in the pathogenesis of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) and can be visualised and quantified using imaging techniques. ...This systematic review aims to present an overview of all biomechanical imaging markers that have been studied in relation to AAA growth and rupture. Methods This systematic review followed the PRISMA guidelines. A search in Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Library identified 1503 potentially relevant articles. Studies were included if they assessed biomechanical imaging markers and their potential association with growth or rupture. Results Twenty-seven articles comprising 1730 patients met the inclusion criteria. Eighteen studies performed wall stress analysis using finite element analysis (FEA), 13 of which used peak wall stress (PWS) to quantify wall stress. Ten of 13 case control FEA studies reported a significantly higher PWS for symptomatic or ruptured AAAs than for intact AAAs. However, in some studies there was confounding bias because of baseline differences in aneurysm diameter between groups. Clinical heterogeneity in methodology obstructed a meaningful meta-analysis of PWS. Three of five FEA studies reported a significant positive association between several wall stress markers, such as PWS and 99th percentile stress, and growth. One study reported a significant negative association and one other study reported no significant association. Studies assessing wall compliance, the augmentation index and wall stress analysis using Laplace's law, computational fluid dynamics and fluid structure interaction were also included in this systematic review. Conclusions Although PWS is significantly higher in symptomatic or ruptured AAAs in most FEA studies, confounding bias, clinical heterogeneity, and lack of standardisation limit the interpretation and generalisability of the results. Also, there is conflicting evidence on whether increased wall stress is associated with growth.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) is identified to play a role in postmenopausal disease and hypothesized to affect abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) onset/progression in postmenopausal women. We ...aimed to detect FSHR gene expression in AAA tissue and cell types involved in AAA formation.
FSH stimulation of human umbilical cord endothelial cells (HUVECs), smooth muscle cells (HUCs) and PMA-differentiated macrophages to assess gene expression of FSHR and various markers. Human macrophages activated with various stimuli were assessed for FSHR gene expression. AAA dataset, AAA tissue samples and AAA-derived smooth muscle cells (SMC) obtained from elderly female donors were assessed for FSHR gene expression. AAA-SMCs were stimulated with FSH to assess its effect on gene expression. Lastly, oxidized low-density-lipoprotein (ox-LDL) uptake and abundance of cell surface protein markers were assessed by flow cytometry after FSH stimulation of human monocytes.
FSH stimulation showed similar levels of gene expression in HUVECs and HUCs. Only ACTA2 was downregulated in HUCs. In PMA-differentiated macrophages, gene expression of inflammation markers was unchanged after FSH stimulation. FSHR gene expression was found to be low in the AAA datasets. Female AAA-SMCs show occasional FSHR gene expression at a very low level, yet stimulation with FSH did not affect gene expression of SMC- or inflammation markers. FSH stimulation did not impact ox-LDL uptake or alter cell surface protein expression in monocytes. While FSHR gene expression was detected in human testis tissue, it was below quantification level in all other investigated cell types, even upon activation of macrophages with various stimuli.
Despite previous reports, we did not detect FSHR gene expression in various extragonadal cell types, except in occasional female AAA-SMCs. No clear effect on cell activation was observed upon FSH stimulation in any cell type. Our data suggest that a direct effect of FSH in AAA-related extragonadal cells is unlikely to influence AAA.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Background There is clinical equipoise between open (OR) and endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) for the best treatment of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (RAAA). Objective The aim of the study ...was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the short-term (combined 30-day or in-hospital) survival after EVAR and OR for patients with RAAA. Data sources included Medline, Embase, and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry until 13 January 2014. All randomised controlled trials (RCTs), observational cohort studies, and administrative registries comparing OR and EVAR of at least 50 patients were included. Articles were full-length and in English. Methods Standard PRISMA guidelines were followed. The methodological quality of RCTs was assessed with the Cochrane Collaboration's tool for assessing risk of bias. The quality of observational studies was assessed with a modified Cochrane Collaboration's tool for assessing risk of bias, the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale, and the Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies. The results of the RCTs, of the obersvational studies, and of the administrative registries were pooled separately and analysed with the use of a random effects model. Results From a total of 3,769 articles, three RCTs, 21 observational studies, and eight administrative registries met the inclusion criteria. In the RCTs, the risk of bias was lowest and the pooled odds ratio for death after EVAR versus OR was 0.90 (95% CI 0.65–1.24). The majority of the observational studies had a high risk of bias and the pooled odds ratio for death was 0.44 (95% CI 0.37–0.53). The majority of the administrative registries had a high risk of bias and the pooled odds ratio for death was 0.54 (95% CI 0.47–0.62). Conclusion Endovascular aneurysm repair is not inferior to open repair in patients with a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm. This supports the use of EVAR in suitable patients and OR as a reasonable alternative.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
According to guidelines, the autogenous saphenous vein (ASV) is the preferred conduit for femoropopliteal bypass surgery in all patients with peripheral artery disease. However, in contrast to ...patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI), patients with intermittent claudication (IC) only, tend to have milder disease, and thus a prosthetic graft may be as good as a vein conduit. The objective of this study was to compare patency rates of the ASV and a prosthetic graft in femoropopliteal bypass surgery in patients with IC.
A systematic literature search was performed in the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases to identify randomized controlled trials comparing prosthetic graft versus ASV in patients with IC. Articles with a mixed IC and CLI study population were included if more than 50% of the study cohort was treated for IC. Primary analysis was performed on IC patients only. Secondary analysis was performed on the mixed group. The primary endpoint was short- and long-term patency and secondary endpoints were complications, limb salvage, and mortality.
In total, six studies with 524 patients were included. Only two studies reported solely on patients with IC. All these patients underwent above-the-knee bypasses and average patency rates at one and 5 years were 88% and 76% vs 81% and 68% in the ASV and the PTFE groups, respectively. One and five-year patency was not statistically different between the groups (OR 5.21; 95% CI 0.60-45.36 and OR 2.10; 95% CI 0.88-5.01). In a mixed population of patients with IC and CLI (84% IC patients), 1 year patency was comparable (OR 1.40; 95% CI 0.87-2.25). However, after a follow-up of over 3 years, this mixed group had significantly higher patency rates in favour of the ASV (OR 2.06; 95 % CI 1.30-3.26). Complication and amputation rates were comparable in both groups.
Limited data are available for patients receiving above-the-knee femoropopliteal bypass for intermittent claudication. The ASV remains the conduit of choice for femoropopliteal bypass surgery. However, the prosthetic conduit seems a feasible alternative for patients with intermittent claudication in whom the ASV is not present or unsuitable.
Objectives To assess the mortality of patients with ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms undergoing open surgery and examine changes in mortality over time. Methods Literature databases were searched ...for relevant articles published between 1991 and 2006. Two reviewers independently performed study inclusion and data extraction. Primary outcome measure was 30 day or in-hospital mortality. Subgroup analyses were performed examining the effect of population- and hospital-based studies, hospital volume and type of surgeon. Results From a total of 1419 identified studies, 145 observational studies met the inclusion criteria of which 116 were included in the systematic review comprising 60,822 patients. Overall mortality was 48.5% (95% CI: 48.1–48.9%) and did not change significantly over the years. Age increased over the years. For overall mortality a trend was seen in favour of high-volume hospitals. Conclusions This meta-analysis suggests that mortality of patients with RAAA treated by open surgery has not changed over the past 15 years. This could be explained by increased age of patients undergoing RAAA repair.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Previous studies have focused on patient-related risk factors to explain the higher mortality risk in women undergoing elective abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair. The aim of this study was to ...evaluate whether hospital-related factors influence outcomes following AAA repair in women.
Patients undergoing elective AAA repair in 61 hospitals in the Netherlands were identified from the Dutch Surgical Aneurysm Audit registry (2013-2018). A mixed-effects logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess the effect of sex on in-hospital and/or 30-day mortality. This analysis accounted for possible correlation of outcomes among patients who were treated in the same hospital, by adding a hospital-specific random effect to the statistical model. The analysis adjusted for patient-related risk factors and hospital volume of open surgical repair (OSR) and endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR).
Some 12 034 patients were included in the analysis. The mortality rate was higher in women than among men: 53 of 1780 (3.0 per cent) versus 152 of 10 254 (1.5 per cent) respectively. Female sex was significantly associated with mortality after correction for patient- and hospital-related factors (odds ratio 1.68, 95 per cent c.i. 1.20 to 2.37). OSR volume was associated with lower mortality (OR 0.91 (0.85 to 0.95) per 10-procedure increase) whereas no such relationship was identified with EVAR volume (OR 1.03 (1.01 to 1.05) per 10-procedure increase).
Women are at higher risk of death after abdominal aortic aneurysm repair irrespective of patient- and hospital-related factors.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UPUK
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