Systematic Review of Circulating, Biomechanical, and Genetic Markers for the Prediction of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Growth and Rupture

Background The natural course of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) is growth and rupture if left untreated. Numerous markers have been investigated; however, none are broadly acknowledged. Our aim was to identify potential prognostic markers for AAA growth and rupture. Methods and Results Potential circulating, biomechanical, and genetic markers were studied. A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library in February 2017, following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Study selection, data extraction, and methodological quality assessment were conducted by 2 independent researchers. Plausibility of markers was based on the amount of publications regarding the marker (more than 3), pooled sample size (more than 100), bias risk and statistical significance of the studies. Eighty‐two studies were included, which examined circulating (n=40), biomechanical (n=27), and genetic markers (n=7) and combinations of markers (n=8). Factor...