Correlation between atmospheric pressure changes and incidence of abdominal aortic aneurysm ruptures

Introduction. Abdominal aortic aneurysm and its rupture have been often studied over the years, and numerous risk factors for aneurysm rupture have been considered, including atmospheric pressure. The effect of atmospheric pressure has not yet been sufficiently investigated, although studies have been conducted on its possible impact on aneurysms. The aim of this study was to determine the presence of comorbidity as well as the impact of atmospheric pressure on the incidence of abdominal aortic aneurysm ruptures. Material and Methods. All patients who underwent abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture at the Clinic of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery of the Clinical Center of Vojvodina in the period from January 1, 2014 to December 1, 2018 were included in this study. The retrospective study was conducted using patient medical records, computer data, additional clinical records, and discharge reports. Data on atmospheric pressure in the territory of Vojvodina were collected from the Republic Hydrometeorological Institute of Serbia. Results. The number of cases with abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture was found to be higher at higher atmospheric pressure than expected at that altitude, in as much as 95% of cases, most often in the fall. Conclusion. We concluded that there is a significant correlation between high atmospheric pressure and the incidence of abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture, but the exact mechanism of this impact remains to be studied in some further studies. nema