SEASONAL-VARIATION OF THE ABDOMINAL AORTIC-ANEURYSM RUPTURE IN SOUTHWESTERN GREECE

Objective. To examine the hypothesis of seasonal variation in the rupt ure of abdominal aortic aneurysm in our region. Design. Retrospective open study. Setting. University Hospital, Greece. Patients. Forty-six patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm admitted between 1991-1995. In tervention. The month of admission was registered. Main outcome measur es. The seasonal variation in the abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture. R esults. The majority of ruptures (78%) occurred during the months Octo ber and April, a phenomenon proven to be periodical (p<0.05). Conclusi ons. The abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture clearly showed seasonal var iation.