Clinical, Electrocardiographic, and Echocardiographic Features in Patients with Asymptomatic Aortic Abdominal Aneurysm

Cardiac involvement in peripheral vascular diseases can present interesting patho physiological aspects and can influence the prognosis. The authors evaluated the cardiac condition of patients with asymptomatic aortic abdominal aneurysm (AAAA) by using clinical, electrocardiographic, and echocardiographic techniques. Seventy-eight patients were studied, 74 men and 4 women, with ages ranging from fifty-five to eighty-one years (mean 69.5 ± 6.4). All patients were submitted to a complete clinical examination, usual blood tests, a 12-lead resting electrocardiogram, and an echo- Doppler evaluation. Forty-eight subjects (61.5%) were affected by hypertension, 53 (67.9%) were smokers, 25 (32.1%) were alcohol abusers, 39 (50%) had a history of angina pectoris, 20 (25.6%) had had previous myocardial infarction, and 30 (38.5%) were receiving active cardiovascular treatment. All patients except 2, who had chronic atrial fibrillation, manifested sinus rhythm. Electrocardiographic signs of left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy were present in 20 cases (25.6%), intraventricular conduction disturbances in 19 (24.4%), pathological Q waves in 20 (25.6%), and primary repolarization abnormalities in 25 (32.1%). Echocardiography showed a slight increase in left atrial diameter and intraventric ular septum thickness (41.5 ± 4.3 and 12.3 ± 2 mm respectively). A clearer increase was found in LV mass index (159 ± 44 g/m2). In 31 patients one or more LV asynergic segments were found. In our patients with AAAA the prevalence of major risk factors for atherosclerosis and ischemic heart disease including previous myocardial infarction was high. Echo-derived LV myocardial mass index was higher than normal even though electrocardiographic criteria for LV hypertrophy did not match echocardiographic data in all subjects. Finally a moderate prevalence of intraventricular conduction disturbances was recorded.