FAST
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Female Aneurysm screening STudy (FAST)
IRAS ID
204619
Contact name
Matthew James Bown
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Leicester
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
2016-001261-83 , EudraCT
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 5 months, 30 days
Research summary
An abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a swelling of the main blood vessel (aorta) in the abdomen. If the swelling gets too large the aorta can burst and this is usually fatal. In order to prevent rupture, AAA can be surgically repaired. This is usually carried out when the size of the AAA is more than 5.5cm in diameter as below this size, the risk of rupture is lower than the risk of surgery. AAA are usually asymptomatic before rupture but can easily and safely be diagnosed by ultrasound scanning. There is currently a national screening programme for men, but not women. \n\nWomen are not screened for AAA on the basis that the disease is less common in females. However, 33.6% of all deaths caused by ruptured AAA in England and Wales are in females (1109 female deaths). Death rates due to ruptured AAA in men have nearly halved over the last decade but the reduction in female deaths over the same time period is less than one third. Females with AAA are also 4-times more likely to rupture their aneurysm and have higher rates of complications and death after emergency surgery than men.\n\nThere are groups of people such as female smokers, who are at high risk of AAA but are not currently invited for AAA screening. In this research we will determine whether it is feasible to select people for AAA screening using risk factors, how many people in these high-risk groups attend if they are invited for AAA screening, and determine the numbers in the different risk groups who have AAA.\n
REC name
East Midlands - Leicester South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/EM/0219
Date of REC Opinion
17 Jun 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion