Optimising Population Based AAA Screening of 65 Year Old Men By Exploring Risk Factor Based Targeted Screening Strategies: In Light of Declining Prevalence

Abstract

Objective: The prevalence of AAA has declined over the past decades and contemporary studies demonstrate prevalence rates of 1.3 – 1.5% 1,2 among 65 year old men, in contrast to historical rates of 4.9 – 7.2% 3,4 in the large scale screening RCTs conducted in the 1990s and early 2000s. Cost efficiency 5 can be demonstrated for screening programmes with even lower rates, but the clinical legitimacy of general AAA screening of 65 year old men can be questioned with falling prevalence rates. This study analyses risk factor data among large cohorts of 65 year old men screened in the Swedish population based general AAA screening programme – with the aim of exploring selective targeting screening strategies to reach men with the highest risk of having an AAA.