Immune Modulation as a Treatment for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms

Abstract

In the United States, >200 000 new patients are diagnosed with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) each year. Consequently, >40 000 highly morbid aortic reconstructions are performed each year to prevent aneurysm rupture, a catastrophic event associated with near-certain mortality. No pharmaceutical currently exists to slow aneurysm growth, but a 50% reduction in diameter growth per annum could halve the number of aortic reconstructions required. Therefore, successful use of cell therapy to modulate chronic inflammation hallmark to AAA to slow diameter expansion represents a potentially paradigmaltering treatment.