Protocol - Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
Description
Measure to assess the presence of an abdominal aortic aneurysm through the use of ultrasound.
Specific Instructions
All respondents who are considered to be in a risk group should be screened using an ultrasound scan of the abdominal aorta regardless of their responses to questions 1 and 2. See the "General References" section for sources of information to identify those at risk for abdominal aortic aneurysm.
Availability
Protocol
1. Have you ever been diagnosed by a doctor as having an abdominal aortic aneurysm?
[ ] Yes
[ ] No
If "Yes," ask question 2.
2. Have you had surgery or other repair for this aneurysm?
[ ] Yes
[ ] No
3. Abdominal Ultrasound Protocol
An ultrasound scan of the abdominal aorta is performed using a portable ultrasound machine (Hitachi ultrasound scanner EUB-405, Hitachi Medical Corporation, Tokyo, Japan). The maximum transverse diameter of the aorta in the transverse plane, and the maximum anterior-posterior diameter in the longitudinal plane, are measured with calipers, and images are recorded on thermal paper. The largest diameter of these two readings is recorded as the maximum aortic diameter for each. A hardcopy should be kept of all scans.
After initial screening, the scanned group is subdivided into those who had an abdominal aortic aneurysm (maximum aortic diameter on ultrasound ≥3 cm), those in whom no aneurysm was detected, and those in whom the aorta could not be visualized. Arrangements should be made with a personal physician to follow up with patients who had an abdominal aortic aneurysm with repeat scans at intervals related to the aortic size.
Patients are not given their results at the clinic. A radiologist reviews all abnormal scans and a subsample of normal scans. At the completion of screening, results are sent to the patients family doctor with letters for the doctors to send to the patients should they feel it appropriate.
Patients who have a normal aorta (<3 cm diameter) and those whose aortas are not visualized are not rescanned. Patients with an aortic diameter of 3.0-4.4 cm should be rescanned at yearly intervals, whereas those with an aortic diameter of 4.5-5.4 cm should be rescanned at 3-month intervals. Urgent referral to a vascular consultant should be recommended for patients with an aortic diameter of 5.5 cm or greater.
Personnel and Training Required
An interviewer who is trained to conduct personal interviews with individuals from the general population is required. The interviewer must be trained and found to be competent (i.e., tested by an expert) at the completion of personal interviews.* The interviewer should be trained to prompt respondents further if a "dont know" response is provided.
*There are multiple modes to administer this question (e.g., paper-and-pencil and computer-assisted interviews).
A certified and trained technician is required to complete the abdominal ultrasound. A physician is required to interpret the results.
Equipment Needs
Portable ultrasound machine (Hitachi ultrasound scanner EUB-405, Hitachi Medical Corporation, Tokyo, Japan)
Calipers
Thermal paper
Requirements
| Requirement Category | Required |
|---|---|
| Major equipment | Yes |
| Specialized training | Yes |
| Specialized requirements for biospecimen collection | No |
| Average time of greater than 15 minutes in an unaffected individual | No |
Mode of Administration
Interviewer-administered question, Non-invasive radiologic assessment
Lifestage
Adult
Participants
San Diego Population Study (SDPS): 40–79 years old
The Multicentre Aneurysm Screening Study (MASS): men aged 65–74 years*
*Note: The Cardiovascular Working Group deems it appropriate for this protocol to be used with women over 45 years old in addition to men.
Selection Rationale
Few studies assess the presence of an abdominal aortic aneurysm. The protocol from the Multicentre Aneurysm Screening Study (MASS) was selected because its protocol describes how to perform an abdominal ultrasound, which is the main diagnostic tool for assessing the size of an abdominal aortic aneurysm.
Language
Chinese, English, Other languages available at source
Standards
| Standard | Name | ID | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes (LOINC) | Abdominal aortic aneurysm proto | 62399-1 | LOINC |
| Human Phenotype Ontology | Abdominal aortic aneurysm | HP:0005112 | HPO |
| caDSR Form | PhenX PX041001 - Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm | 5837935 | caDSR Form |
Derived Variables
None
Process and Review
Not applicable.
Protocol Name from Source
San Diego Population Study (SDPS) & The Multicentre Aneurysm Screening Study (MASS), 2002
Source
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. National Institutes of Health. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. San Diego Population Study (SDPS) (source for questions 1 and 2).
Ashton, H. A., Buxton, M. J., Day, N. E., Kim, L. G., Marteau, T. M., Scott, R. A., Thompson, S. G., & Walker, N. M.; Multicentre Aneurysm Screening Study Group. (2002). The Multicentre Aneurysm Screening Study (MASS) into the effect of abdominal aortic aneurysm screening on mortality in men: A randomised controlled trial. Lancet, 360(9345), 1531–1539 (source for question 3).
General References
Singh, K., Bonaa, K. H., Jacobsen, B. K., Bjork, L., & Solberg, S. (2001). Prevalence of and risk factors for abdominal aortic aneurysms in a population-based study—The Tromsø Study. American Journal of Epidemiology, 154(3), 236–244.
Alcorn, H. G., Wolfson, S. K., Jr., Sutton-Tyrrell, K., Kuller, L. H., & OLeary, D. (1996). Risk factors for abdominal aortic aneurysms in older adults enrolled in the Cardiovascular Health Study. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, 16, 963–970.
Protocol ID
41001
Variables
Export Variables| Variable Name | Variable ID | Variable Description | dbGaP Mapping | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PX041001_AAA_Surgery | ||||
| PX041001020000 | Have you had surgery or other repair for more | N/A | ||
| PX041001_Ever_Have_Abdominal_Aortic_Aneurysm | ||||
| PX041001010000 | Have you ever been diagnosed by a doctor as more | Variable Mapping | ||
| PX041001_Max_Anterior_Posterior_Diameter | ||||
| PX041001030300 | Maximum anterior-posterior diameter (cm) in more | N/A | ||
| PX041001_Max_Aortic_Diameter | ||||
| PX041001030400 | Maximum aortic diameter (cm). | N/A | ||
| PX041001_Max_Transverse_Diameter | ||||
| PX041001030200 | Maximum transverse diameter (cm) of the aorta. | N/A | ||
| PX041001_Ultrasound_Image_ID | ||||
| PX041001030500 | Ultrasound scan image ID. | N/A | ||
| PX041001_Ultrasound_Machine | ||||
| PX041001030100 | Ultrasound machine name and model. | N/A | ||
Measure Name
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
Release Date
September 24, 2009
Definition
This measure assesses the presence of an abdominal aortic aneurysm.
Purpose
To assess the presence of an abdominal aortic aneurysm, often associated with coronary heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, or stroke, so that proper treatment is performed to prevent rupture of the aneurysm or further damage to the heart.
Keywords
abdominal aortic aneurysm, ultrasound, aortic, personal history, Cardiovascular
Measure Protocols
| Protocol ID | Protocol Name |
|---|---|
| 41001 | Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm |
Publications
There are no publications listed for this protocol.