Statin therapy after elective abdominal aortic aneurysm repair improves long-term survival.

BACKGROUND: Patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms are at high risk of cardiovascular events. Although statin therapy is indicated for most of these patients, no specific recommendation regarding the intensity of therapy exists. The aim of this study was to assess the possible effect of statin therapy on survival of patients undergoing abdominal aortic aneurysm repair and to investigate if high-intensity statin therapy was superior to low-moderate-intensity therapy. METHODS: Data from nationwide Swedish registers on hospital admissions, operations, and medications for patients undergoing elective abdominal aortic aneurysm repair from 2006 to 2018 were collected. The effect of statin use was evaluated in three separate propensity score matched cohorts: perioperative mortality was analysed according to whether patients were on statins before abdominal aortic aneurysm repair or not; long-term survival was assessed according to whether patients were on statins during follow-up or not; and, for those on statins after surgery, long-term survival was analysed according to whether patients were on high-intensity or low-moderate-intensity statin therapy. RESULTS: Preoperative statin use did not reduce 90-day perioperative mortality (OR 0.99, 95% c.i. 0.77 to 1.28), whilst there was a marked benefit regarding long-term survival for postoperative statin users (HR 1.43, 95% c.i. 1.34 to 1.54). High-intensity statin therapy had no advantage over low-medium-intensity statin therapy with regards to long-term survival (HR 1.00, 95% c.i. 0.80 to 1.25). CONCLUSION: In this nationwide propensity score matched cohort study, preoperative statin treatment had no benefit regarding 90-day perioperative survival, but postoperative statin treatment markedly improved long-term survival. No additional benefit regarding high-dose statin treatment could be confirmed in this analysis.

Changes in abdominal aortic aneurysm epidemiology.

The epidemiology and treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) has changed over the past 30 years. This review aims to give the reader an overview of these changes and current trends in AAA epidemiology, management and outcome. In the past decades there have been three changes in AAA management and epidemiology: 1) introduction of endovascular aortic repair (EVAR); 2) population screening; and 3) a markedly reduced prevalence of the disease. These developments have resulted in an increased incidence of intact AAA-repair and reduced incidence of ruptured AAA-repair. Overall, survival after both intact and ruptured AAA repair has improved, much thanks to the broad introduction of EVAR. Additionally, both elective and rupture repair in the elderly population has increased, with octogenarians constituting >20% of intact AAA repairs performed in several countries. International analyses of vascular registries indicate that important variations remain in AAA management and results. The changes in AAA epidemiology and management have led to a situation where most AAAs today are treated with EVAR electively. The incidence of ruptured AAA-repair continues to decrease. These changes are accompanied by improvements in both short- and long-term survival.