BMJ 2002;325:1123-1124 ( 16 November )

Editorials

Screening men for aortic aneurysm

A national population screening service will be cost effective

Papers p 1135

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm is a potentially lethal condition, much more common in older men, and, sadly, often first recognised only after rupture and death. Some 75% of patients die before arriving at hospital, and of the survivors, half make it to the operating theatre.1 The operative mortality for ruptured aneurysm remains about 40% at 30 days,2 compared with a mortality of 5-6% for elective surgery.3 Surely early ultrasound detection should be worth while. We now have the previously missing data to justify a national screening programme.

The Multicentre Aneurysm Screening Study Group reports the outcomes of aneurysm related mortality with health related quality of life and cost effectiveness. 4 5 The authors conclude that a single ultrasound scan in men aged 65 reduces aneurysm related deaths at acceptable cost. They put screening to the test in a population based randomised controlled trial of 70 000 men at four centres in the south of England, an . . . [Full text of this article]
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This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Greenhalgh, R. M (2004). National screening programme for aortic aneurysm. BMJ 328: 1087-1088 [Full text]  
  • Earnshaw, J J, Shaw, E, Whyman, M R, Poskitt, K R, Heather, B P (2004). Screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms in men. BMJ 328: 1122-1124 [Full text]  
  • (2003). AAA Screening: Benefits and Cost-Effectiveness. Journal Watch Cardiology 2003: 4-4 [Full text]  
  • Curtis, S., Lynch, R. M (2003). Screening for aortic aneurysm. BMJ 326: 284-284 [Full text]  

Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

Can we do better in managing aortic aneurysms?
Richard G Fiddian-Green
bmj.com, 19 Nov 2002 [Full text]
What About The Human Cost?
Simon P Curtis
bmj.com, 26 Nov 2002 [Full text]
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