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• Open surgical repair (OSR) of aortic aneurysms (AAs) could be associated with fewer subsequent cardiovascular disease events. • OSR of AAs could be associated with fewer incidents of subsequent acute myocardial infarction. • The advantage of OSR might be taken into consideration when treating AAs. Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and aortic aneurysms (AAs) share several clinical risk factors. However, the potential effects on future CVDs of surgical treatments involving the open surgical repair (OSR) of AAs are unknown. We hypothesize that the OSR of AAs is associated with subsequent CVDs. The data for this nationwide population-based retrospective cohort study were obtained from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan. The outcome assessed in this study was the cumulative incidence of CVDs in patients with AAs during a 14-year follow-up period, which was further stratified according to those who underwent OSR, endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR), and nonsurgical treatment (NST). Our analysis included 11,764 patients with AAs, of whom 2,524 received surgery and 2,524 were propensity score-matched controls. Compared to the controls, patients who received OSR exhibited a significantly decreased incidence of CVD development [adjusted hazard ratio (HR) = 0.89, p = 0.006]. Furthermore, compared to patients who received NST, patients who received OSR had a significantly lower incidence of subsequent acute myocardial infarction (adjusted HR = 0.793, p = 0.037). Compared to NST, OSR of AAs could be associated with a lower incidence of subsequent CVDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Dementia and aortic aneurysms share clinical risk factors and molecular signaling pathways. However, the association between dementia and aortic aneurysms has not been examined. The potential effects of open surgical repair (OSR) of aortic aneurysms on future dementia events are unknown. Methods We conducted this nationwide population-based , retrospective cohort study using the Taiwan ese National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD). The cumulative incidence of dementia over a 13-year follow-up period was compared among 1) aortic aneurysms and non-aortic aneurysm patients and 2) aortic aneurysm patients who underwent OSR, endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) or nonsurgical treatment (NST). Results This study enrolled 19,921 aortic aneurysms patients and 19,921 matched controls. The aortic aneurysm cohort exhibited a significantly increased incidence of dementia compared with the controls (adjusted hazard ratio (HR) = 3.559, p < 0.001). Furthermore, 5409 aortic aneurysm patients were treated with surgical intervention, whereas 5409 matched aortic aneurysm patients were not. Aortic aneurysm patients who underwent OSR had a significantly lower incidence of dementia than those who underwent NST (adjusted HR = 0.638, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.411–0.764, p < 0.001). Patients who underwent EVAR did not have a lower incidence of dementia than those who underwent NST. Conclusion OSR was associated with a reduced incidence of dementia in patients with aortic aneurysms compared to NST. Highlights • Patients with aortic aneurysms(AAs) had an increased incidence of dementia. • Open surgical repair of AAs could attenuate the risk of subsequent dementia compared to non-surgical treatment. • Patients who underwent endovascular aneurysm repair did not have a lower incidence of dementia than those who underwent non-surgical treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common form of sustained arrhythmia. Several molecular pathways associated with the pathogenesis of AF also participate in the initiation and progression of aortic aneurysm (AA). In this study, we aimed to evaluate potential associations between AA and AF. Patients and Methods: The data for this nationwide population-based retrospective cohort study were obtained from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD). All medical conditions for each case and the controls were categorized using the 9th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-9). Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for associations between AF and AA were estimated using Cox regression and adjusted for comorbidities. Results: Our analyses included 116,225 AF cases and 116,225 propensity score-matched controls. Compared with the controls, the patients with AF exhibited a significantly increased risk of developing an AA (adjusted hazard ratio, HR 1.243, p < 0.001). Another cohort of 19,776 patients diagnosed with AA were identified, and 19,776 propensity score-matched patients were included as controls. Patients who had AA were also at an increased risk of developing AF (adjusted HR 1.187, p < 0.001). Heart failure (HF) was a common risk factor for both AA and AF. Conclusion: There are associations between AF and AA. HF is a mutual risk factor for the development of AF and AA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine whether patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) have an increased risk of aortic aneurysm (AA). Methods: The data for the nationwide population-based retrospective cohort study described here were obtained from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD). We selected adult patients who had been newly diagnosed as having OSA and were followed up between 2000 and 2010. We excluded patients who had been diagnosed as having AA before the date of the new OSA diagnosis. The control cohort consisted of individuals who had no OSA history. The patients and the control cohort were selected by 1: 4 matching according to the following baseline variables: sex, age, index year, and comorbidities. The outcome measure was AA diagnosis. Results: In total, 31,274 patients diagnosed as having OSA were identified. Compared to patients without OSA, they had no significantly discrepant cumulative risk of developing AA in subsequent years (p from log-rank test = 0.442). We used the Cox proportional-hazards regression model, which found that only male sex, older age, diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and coronary artery disease were independently associated with AA occurrence among subjects with an OSA diagnosis. OSA was not associated with AA development. On the other hand, in the subgroup of COPD, patients with OSA had a higher incidence of risk of AA than those without OSA. Conclusion: When compared to those without OSA, patients with OSA do not have an increased AA risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]