Characteristics of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm in Japanese Patients Aged 50 Years or Younger

Abstract

Objective: We investigated the characteristics and surgical outcomes of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), which typically occurs in elderly persons, in Japanese patients aged 50 years or younger. Materials and Methods: Clinical records of 999 patients who underwent open or endovascular repair for AAA at our hospital between 2007 and 2015 were reviewed to identify the clinical characteristics and surgical outcomes of young patients with AAA. The cohort included 14 patients aged 50 years or younger (mean, 40.4 years; young group) and 985 patients aged older than 50 years (mean, 72.8 years; old group). Results: Marfan syndrome, prior aortic dissection, and a history of aortic surgery were more prevalent in the young group, and 50% of the patients in the young group had dissecting aneurysms. All patients in the young group underwent open repair. Overall in-hospital mortality rates were 7.1% (1/14) and 1.9% (19/985) in the young and old groups, respectively (P=0.67). Seven-year survival and aortic event-free survival rates in the young group were 82.5%±11.5%, and 71.2±14.5%, respectively. Conclusion: AAA in patients aged 50 years or younger tended to be associated with Marfan syndrome, a history of aortic surgery, and prior aortic dissection. Early outcomes of AAA among young patients are acceptable, but close postoperative monitoring is important.

Keywords: abdominal aortic aneurysm; aortic dissection; young age.

Fig. 1 Age distribution of a total of 999 patients who underwent open or endovascular repair for abdominal aortic aneurysm between January 2007 and May 2015 at Saitama Medical Center, Jichi Medical University. There were 14 patients (1.4%) who were aged 50 years or younger.

Fig. 2 Kaplan–Meier curves for actuarial survival (A) and aortic event-free survival (B) among patients 50 years or younger who underwent surgery for abdominal aortic aneurysm.