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Guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommend that men aged 65 to 74 who have ever smoked be screened with abdominal ultrasonography for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA; Journal Watch Feb 18 2005). But questions remain regarding the long-term benefits of screening and surgical options.
In a population-based U.K. trial, 67,770 men were randomized to receive or not receive an invitation for ultrasonographic screening for AAA. Men with aortic diameters of 3.0 cm or greater on screening were monitored; surgery was considered in those with diameters of 5.5 cm, expansion of 1.0 cm in a year, or symptoms. Previous findings showed that screening decreased AAA-related mortality during an average follow-up of 4 years (Journal Watch …