Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Increased Incidence of Renal Cysts in Patients with Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms: A Common Pathogenesis?

  • Published:
Annals of Vascular Surgery

Abstract

We have empirically observed that patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) seem to have an increased incidence of renal cysts on computed tomography (CT). In order to evaluate this possible association, a retrospective cohort study was conducted comparing the incidence of renal cysts on CT scan in 100 patients with AAA to 100 patients without AAA (matched by age and gender). Univariate analysis and multiple logistic regression were performed to evaluate the association of AAAs and other risk factors with the presence of renal cysts. Of patients with AAAs, 54% had renal cysts compared to only 30% in the control group (p = 0.0006, relative risk = 2.73). The AAA group had a higher incidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD, 14% vs. 1%), hypertension (76.6% vs. 46.5%), coronary artery disease (38.3% vs. 12%), and hypercholesterolemia (41.5% vs. 9.1%) compared to the non-AAA group. There was a significant linear correlation between renal cysts and COPD (p = 0.011), the presence of AAA (p = 0.0005), and age (p = 0.019), whereas hypercholesterolemia (p = 0.059) and diabetes (p = 0.063) approached significance. On multivariate analysis, there were three independent predictors of renal cysts: COPD (p = 0.051), age (p = 0.01), and AAA (p = 0.028). In conclusion, there is a significantly higher incidence of renal cysts in patients with AAA compared to patients without AAA. To our knowledge, this association has not previously been reported. Future studies are needed to determine whether this correlation is the result of a commonality in the pathogenesis of AAA and renal cysts.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Bickerstaff LK, Hollier LH, Van Peene HJ, et al. Abdominal aortic aneurysms: the changing natural history. J Vasc Surg 1984;1:6

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Thompson RW. Basic science of abdominal aortic aneurysms: emergency therapeutic strategies for an unresolved clinical problem. Curr Opin Cardiol 1996;11:504-518

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Lederle FA, Johnson GR, Wilson SE, et al. Prevalence and associations of abdominal aortic aneurysm detected through screening. Ann Intern Med 1997;126:441

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Salo JA, Soisalon-Soininen S, Bondestam S, et al. Familial occurrence of abdominal aortic aneurysms. Ann Intern Med 1999;130:637

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Ailawadi G, Eliason JL, Upchurch GR. Current concepts in the pathogenesis of abdominal aortic aneurysms. J Vasc Surg 2003;38:584-588

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. McMillan WD, Tamarina NA, Cipollone M, et al. Size matters: the relationship between MMP-9 expression and aortic diameter. Circulation 1997;96:2228-2232

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Shi GP, Sukhova GK, Grubb A, et al. Cystatin C deficiency in human atherosclerosis and aortic aneurysm. J Clin Invest 1999;104:1191

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Buckley C, Wyle CW, Borhani M, et al. Accelerated enlargement of experimental abdominal aortic aneurysms in a mouse model of chronic cigarette smoke exposure. J Am Coll Surg 2004;199:896-903

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. MacSweeney ST, Powell JT, Greenhalgh RM. Pathogenesis of abdominal aortic aneurysm. Br J Surg 1994;81:935-941.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Collin J. The epidemiology of abdominal aortic aneurysm. Br J Hosp Med 1988;39:64-67

    Google Scholar 

  11. Halpern VJ, Nackman GB, Gandhi RH, et al. The elastase infusion model of experimental aortic aneurysms: synchrony of induction of endogenous proteinases with matrix destruction and inflammatory cell response. J Vasc Surg 1994;20:51-60

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Shah P. Inflammation, metalloproteinases, and increased proteolysis: an emerging pathophysiological paradigm in aortic aneurysm. Circulation 1997;96:2115-2117

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Yasuda M, Masai M, Shimazaki J. A simple renal cyst. Nippon Hinyokika Gakkai Zasshi 1993;84:251

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Laucks SP, McLachlan MS. Aging and simple cyst of the kidney. Br J Urol 1981;54:12

    Google Scholar 

  15. Al-Said J, O’Neill WC. Reduced kidney size in patients with simple renal cysts. Kidney Int 2003;64:1059-1064

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Al-Said J, Brumback MA, Moghazi S. Reduced renal function in patients with simple renal cysts. Kidney Int 2004;65:2303-2308.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Terada N, Ichioka K, Matsuta Y, et al. The natural history of simple renal cysts. J Urol 2002;167:21-23

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Tada S, Yamagishi J, Kobari T, et al. The incidence of simple renal cyst by computed tomography. Clin Radiol 1983;34:437

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Ravine D, Gibson RN, Sheffield LJ, et al. An ultrasound renal cyst prevalence survey: specificity data for inherited renal cystic disease. Am J Kidney Dis 1993;22:803

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Laucks SP, McLachlan MSF. Aging and simple cysts of the kidney. Br J Radiol 1981;54:1214

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Yamagiishi F, Kitahara N, Mogi W, et al. Age-related occurrence of simple renal cysts studied by ultrasonography. Klin Wochenschr 1988;66:385-387

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Pedersen JF, Emamian SA, Nielsen MB. Significant association between simple renal cysts and arterial blood pressure. Br J Urol 1997;79:688-691

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Bert L, Steg A. Is the diverticulum of the distal and collecting tubules a preliminary stage of the simple cyst in the adult? J Urol 1977;118:707

    Google Scholar 

  24. Darmandy EM, Offer Y, Woodhouse MA. The parameters of the aging kidney. J Pathol 1973;109:195

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Division of Vascular Surgery, Harbor-UCLA, Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Arezou Yaghoubian BS, Christian de Virgilio MD, Rodney A. White MD & Grant Sarkisyan MD

  2. 1000 W. Carson Street, Box 25, Building 1-E, Torrance, CA, 90509, USA

    Christian de Virgilio MD

Authors
  1. Arezou Yaghoubian BS
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Christian de Virgilio MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Rodney A. White MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Grant Sarkisyan MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christian de Virgilio MD.

About this article

Cite this article

Yaghoubian, A., de Virgilio, C., White, R.A. et al. Increased Incidence of Renal Cysts in Patients with Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms: A Common Pathogenesis?. Ann Vasc Surg 20, 787–791 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10016-006-9124-x

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10016-006-9124-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation