Incidence of femoral and popliteal artery aneurysms in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of femo ral and popliteal aneurysms in men and women who have abdominal aortic aneu rysms (AAAs) and to assess potential etiologic differences in patients with and without these lower extremity aneurysms. Methods: We studied 313 consecutive patients with AAAs encountered from 199 5 to 1998 who underwent prospective ultrasound scanning to detect the prese nce or absence of femoral and popliteal aneurysms. Patients with and withou t these extremity aneurysms were compared for differences in potential etio logic risk factors with each other and with a statewide population of patie nts with AAAs. Results: A total Of 51 femoral and popliteal aneurysms were encountered, al l occurring in male patients. Among the 251 men with AAAs, the incidence of femoral or popliteal aneurysms was 14%, compared with 0% among the 62 wome n with AAAs (P < .01). A family history of aneurysmal disease was present i n only one (3%) of the 36 men with these extremity arterial aneurysms, a si gnificant finding (P < .01) when compared with the family history that was positive for aneurysmal disease in 14 women (23%). Peripheral arterial occl usive disease affected 14 (39%) of the 36 men with peripheral arterial aneu rysms versus 20 (9%) of the 215 men without these aneurysms (P < .01). Most other etiologic variables studied proved not to be different among the var ious groups of patients examined. Conclusion: The incidence of femoral and popliteal aneurysms in persons wit h AAAs appears higher than that noted previously. Femoral and popliteal ane urysmal disease preferentially affects men; however, the basis for this sex difference is unknown. Few common etiologic factors differed between men w ith and without these extremity aneurysms. Most femoral and popliteal arter y aneurysms in this study were undetectable on physical examination, sugges ting that ultrasound scanning is appropriate in the recognition of peripher al aneurysms among men with AAAs.