Predictors of outcome of ruptured aortic aneurysms in a metropolitan hospital

Abstract

The mortality in patients presenting with ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm remains high. In this study we aimed to assess the outcome and factors predicting the mortality in patients admitted to a teaching hospital with the diagnosis of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm. During the study period (July 2001 to July 2007) all patients admitted with a diagnosis of a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm were included. There was a total of 62 patients with a mean age of 76 years. The hospital mortality was 32.3% (20 patients). Twelve patients (19.4%) were discharged home, 25 patients (40.3%) were discharged to rehabilitation and five patients (8%) were discharged to other hospitals for further care. There was a significant difference between survivors and non-survivors in age, loss of consciousness at presentation and duration of hospital stay. Logistic regression analysis of these variables suggests the presence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (P=0.04, odds ratio 6.7, 95% confidence interval 1.1 to 41.3) and age (P=0.02, odds ratio 1.2, 95% confidence intervals 1.0 to 1.3) to be independently associated with mortality. These results compare favourably with published Australian as well as the international data.