Clinical Trial: Inflammation and Risk Prediction in Patients With Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Study Status: Completed
Recruit Status: Completed
Study Type: Observational

Official Title: Inflammation and Risk Prediction in Patients With Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Brief Summary: The purpose of this study is to better understand the role of inflammation in the pathophysiology of abdominal aortic aneurysm. In this study we hope to show better ways of predicting risk in this condition by using a combination of FDG-PET with CT.

Detailed Summary:

Cumulative experimental and pathological evidence support the postulate that inflammation may serve as the unifying concept in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and its complications. Aneurysmal disease is associated with inflammatory cell infiltrate and enzymatic degradation of the vessel wall. Although the risk of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) rupture relates to the maximum cross-sectional diameter, rapid expansion of the aortic diameters preceding fissuration and rupture has been observed in AAA independently of their initial size. However, current diagnostic modalities stratify risk of AAA rupture based solely on the size of the aneurysm without factoring potentially useful information derivable from the degree of aneurysmal wall inflammatory response.

We propose to utilize fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) imaging co-registered with structural computerized tomography (CT) images for the in vivo localization and quantification of vascular inflammation in patients with AAA in order to determine whether increased inflammation within the walls of the aneurysm correlates with rapid enlargement of AAA (change in aneurysmal diameter within 6 months), symptoms, thrombosis, or intervention for ruptured, leaking, rapidly expanding, or painful AAAs.

In patients with underlying abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), the progression of disease i.e. expansion is associated with increased inflammation within the aneurysm wall as characterized by FDG-PET/CT, and the degree of inflammation is a risk predictor for adverse events.

Prior studies have demonstrated that FDG uptake is greater in inflamed tissues, such as infectious foci and tumors. In chronic inflammatory lesions and malignancies, FDG uptake is increased in macrophage-dense regions. The relatively hig
Sponsor: Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Current Primary Outcome: Give more details that may enable us to better assess the chance of AAA expansion or rupture [ Time Frame: 2 Years ]

Original Primary Outcome: Same as current

Current Secondary Outcome:

Original Secondary Outcome:

Information By: Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Dates:
Date Received: August 8, 2007
Date Started: July 2008
Date Completion:
Last Updated: April 5, 2017
Last Verified: April 2017