Prevalence of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease

The prevalence of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) increases with age and affects almost 5% of the population who are >50 years old. A debate still exists on relation and coincidence between AAA and coronary artery disease (CAD (. This study aims at evaluating the prevalence AAA in patients with CAD. In an analytic-descriptive cross-sectional study, 234 candidates for coronary artery angiography were studied in Tabriz Imam Khomeini and Madani Hospital during 18-month period. According to results of angiography, 184 patients had CAD. Abdominal duplex ultrasonography was employed for examining the cases for presence of AAA. Abdominal aortic diameter ≥ 30 mm was considered as the presence of AAA. Frequency of AAA was compared between CAD patients and those with no CAD. Frequency of AAA was 4.3% and 0 in patients with and without CAD, respectively (P=0.208). According to ROC curve analysis, the age of patients with CAD was ≥ 67 years. In this age group, frequency of AAA was 14% and 0 patients with and without CAD, respectively (P=0.008). Frequency of AAA was 2.2%, 5% and 8.8% in patients with 1vessel, 2vesseles and 3vesseles CAD, respectively (P=0.269). According to the current study, age is a significant risk factor for AAA in patients with CAD. Therefore, it is recommended that the screening program with duplex ultrasonography be considered in older patients with CAD.