Significant CT-angiographic evidence of coexisting abdominal aortoiliac aneurysms with simple renal cysts and abdominal wall hernias.

AIM

Aim of the study was to determine and compare the incidence of simple renal cysts (SRCs) and abdominal/inguinal wall hernias (AWHs/IHs) in patients with known abdominal aortoiliac aneurysm (AAA) and aortoiliac occlusive disease (AOD) in order to assess if these comorbidities could be promoted as added high risk factors for AAA development.

METHODS

Prospectively collected clinical and radiological data of 236 AAA patients, treated at our institution between June 2009 and June 2012, were retrospectively analyzed regarding the number, location and type of SRCs and AWHs. Two hundred thirty-six randomly chosen patients with aortoiliac occlusive disease (AOD) were recruited as control group.

RESULTS

SRCs and AWHs were significantly more frequent in the AAA group than in AOD group (68.6% vs. 37.3%, OR=2.110, 95%-CI 1.325-3.359, P=0.002 and 45.3% vs. 24.2%, OR=1.850, 95%-CI 1.153-2.968, P=0.011). In 30.1% of AAA patients both clinical entities were simultaneously detected (OR=2.441, 95%-CI 1.342-4.437, P=0.003), the comorbidity of SRCs and IHs was related to a 3.6-fold increased risk for a coexisting AAA (OR=3.558, 95%-CI 1.622-7.805, P=0.002).

CONCLUSION

The findings of this study contribute to the clinical evidence of a significant coexistence of SRCs and AWH/IHs in AAA patients. However, further clinical screening trials and research are necessary to establish the clinical significance of this observation and to assess a possible common pathogenesis of systemic extracellular matrix degeneration in affected individuals.