Increased Growth Rate of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms in Women. The Tromsø Study

AbstractObjectivesThe present study was undertaken in order to assess the effect of gender on the growth rate of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs).MethodsOne hundred and eighty-five men and 49 women with AAAs were studied, mean follow-up 62 months, giving 14,544 patient-months of follow-up. A mean of 16 ultrasound examinations was performed on each patient.ResultsThe mean growth rate was 1.82; 1.65 and 2.43mm per year in men and women, respectively. In a weighted linear regression analysis, high initial diameter and female gender were independent and significant (p