Health-related quality of life amongst people diagnosed with abdominal aortic aneurysm and peripheral artery disease and the effect of fenofibrate

Abstract

The aims of this study were, firstly, to assess the effect of concurrent peripheral artery disease (PAD) on the health-related quality of life (QOL) of people diagnosed with a small abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA); and secondly, to test whether the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α agonist fenofibrate improved QOL of people diagnosed with a small AAA, including those diagnosed with concurrent PAD. The study included both a cross-sectional observational study and a randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial. 140 people diagnosed with a 35–49 mm diameter AAA, 56 (40%) of whom had concurrent PAD, and 25 healthy controls were prospectively recruited. QOL was assessed with the short form (SF) 36. Findings in participants that were diagnosed with both AAA and PAD were compared separately with those of participants that had a diagnosis of AAA alone or who had neither AAA nor PAD diagnosed (healthy controls). All participants diagnosed with an AAA were then randomly allocated to 145 mg of fenofibrate per day or identical placebo. Outcomes were assessed by changes in the domains of the SF-36 and ankle brachial pressure Index (ABPI) from randomization to 24 weeks. Data were analyzed using Mann–Whitney U tests. Participants diagnosed with both AAA and PAD had significantly worse QOL than participants diagnosed with AAA alone or healthy controls. Fenofibrate did not significantly alter SF-36 scores or ABPI over 24 weeks. Fenofibrate does not improve QOL of people diagnosed with small AAA, irrespective of whether they have concurrent PAD. Trial registration: ACTN12613001039774 Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry.