Atmospheric Pressure Changes Are Associated with Type A Acute Aortic Dissections and Spontaneous Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Rupture in Tuzla Canton

ABSTRACT Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate a relationship between seasonal variation and incidence of type A acute aortic dissection (AAD) and spontaneous abdominal aneurysm rupture (rAAA) in Canton Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Patients and methods: A to-tal of 81 cases, 41 AAD and 40 of ruptured AAA were identified from one center over a 6-year, from 2008 till 2013. In 2012 were admitted (45.6% or 36 patients). Results: Seasonal analysis showed that 19(23.4%) patients were admitted in spring, 15(18.5) in summer, 26(32%) in autumn and 21(25.9) in winter. The most frequent period was autumn/winter with 47 or 58% patients. A causal link between atmospheric pressure (AP) and incidence of rAAA and AAD on seasonal and monthly basis was found. Key words: atmospheric pressure, type A acute aortic dissections, abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture. 1. INTRODUCTION We studied atmospheric pressure influence on inci-dence of Atmospheric Pressure Changes (rAAA) and Acute Aortic Dissections (AAD) in Canton Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and their seasonally and monthly dis-tribution in six year period. Many studies suggested that periods of low atmospheric pressure increased risk of ab-dominal aortic aneurysm rupture (1). Low temperature and cold weather correlated with increased incidence of AAD and rAAA in Northern Ireland (2)Some studies