Arterial Stiffness and Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Growth Rate (v.1.1)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Is Aortic Arterial Stiffness a Predictor for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) Growth Rate?
IRAS ID
228097
Contact name
Soundrie Padayachee
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Patients currently undergoing ultrasound surveillance for an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) at Guy’s and St. Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust (GSTT) will be invited to take part in the study. An AAA is a bulge or swelling in the aorta, the main blood vessel that runs down from the heart through the abdomen. It can get bigger over time and has an increased risk of bursting as it does so, causing life-threatening bleeding. The maximum size of the AAA is therefore measured routinely in these patients with ultrasound surveillance scans. When the AAA is considered ‘large’ (5.5cm or more), surgery to stop it getting bigger is usually recommended. Unfortunately, however, some AAAs will burst before they get to 5.5cm. Conversely, some AAAs will grow larger than 5.5cm and never burst. The aim of this research, therefore, is to see if we can predict the behaviour of AAA growth rates on a patient-by-patient basis, using additional information collected during the ultrasound scan. This information is the ‘stiffness’ of their aorta.
Consenting patients will undergo two additional ultrasound measurements during their next routine AAA scan. These measurements include a scan of the arteries in the neck and at the top of the leg. The additional measurements will add approximately five minute onto their routine AAA scan. These measurements will be used to calculate the stiffness of their aorta. If there is a relationship between this aortic stiffness and the growth rate of the AAA, it could be used to predict the risk of their AAA bursting. This information could then be used to individually tailor AAA patients’ care. For instance, patients identified as likely to have faster growing AAAs and therefore more at risk of bursting, could be invited to have more surveillance scans and have elective surgery earlier.
REC name
London - Fulham Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/LO/2097
Date of REC Opinion
13 Dec 2017
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion