Calcification as a risk factor for rupture of abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Abstract

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a major cause of death in developed countries. The AAA diameter is still the only validated prognostic measure for rupture, and therapeutic interventions are initiated accordingly. This still leads to unnecessary interventions in some cases or unidentified impending ruptures. Vascular calcification has been validated abundantly as a risk factor in the cardiovascular field and may strengthen the rupture risk assessment of the AAA. With this study we aim to assess the correlation between AAA calcification and rupture risk in a retrospective unmatched case-control population.