BACKGROUND: Indiscriminate screening programs for abdominal aortic aneurysm will help a small percentage of individuals. However, when considering groups with risk factors associated with aortic dilatation, which increases the probability of the disease, such programs will provide an adequate allocation of resources and a greater benefit to the population. Programs guided by medical societies, providing an early diagnosis of vascular diseases and consequently a better preparation of patients, would result in better survival rates with lower morbidity. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence of abdominal aortic dilatation in patients aged 60 years or older with atherosclerotic coronary disease diagnosed by coronary angiography. METHODS: The sample selected for this study considered the fact that preoperative assessment of vascular surgery had not been indication for catheterization. Evaluation was then performed, based on anamnesis, physical examination and ultrasound Doppler of the abdominal aorta. Statistical analysis started with chi-square test, with further multivariate logistic regression analysis and univariate logistic regression, with p < 0.05 considered significant. RESULTS: Of 180 patients, 57 (31.7%) were female and 123 (68.3%) were male. Age varied from 60 to 80 years, with mean of 66.7 years. Among the 16 individuals with abdominal aortic dilatation (10 aneurysms and six dilatations), only one was female. The risk of an individual with one atherosclerotic coronary lesion presenting abdominal aortic dilatation was 0.4%. Similarly, in those with two or three lesions the risk was 1.7, and 4.5% in those with more than three lesions. When associated with smoking, these values were 6.9, 11.8 and 27.1%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The present study leads to the conclusion that prevalence of abdominal aortic dilatation was 8.9% (16 out of 180 patients) in this specific sample. It was more prevalent in males, smokers and associated with presence of diffuse atherosclerotic lesions of the coronary arteries.
Abdominal aorta; aortic aneurysm; coronary disease; elderly
