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Friday, April 10, 2015

USPSTF RECOMMENDS SCREENING OLDER MALE SMOKERS FOR ABDOMINAL AORTIC ANEURYSM

CQ (1/28, Adams, Subscription Publication, 967) reports that “the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force said Monday that older male smokers can reduce their chances of dying from an abdominal aortic aneurysm by” undergoing screening with an ultrasound. The USPSTF “said, however that evidence was not sufficient to justify such ‘AAA’ screening for woman.”

HealthDay (1/28, 5K) reports that “according to the task force, men aged 65 to 75 who have never smoked should talk to their health care provider about whether they might benefit from one-time screening.” Additionally, the USPSTF “said further research is still needed to assess if screening is beneficial for women aged 65 to 75 who are current or former smokers.” However, “screening is not recommended for women who have never smoked.”

MedPage Today (1/28, Neale, 122K) reports, “When drafting the new recommendations, the USPSTF relied on an updated evidence review.” Investigators who analyzed data from “four randomized trials revealed that a one-time invitation for screening was associated with significantly reduced rates of AAA rupture, emergent surgery, and AAA-related deaths in men 65 or older, with the mortality benefit becoming apparent 3 years after screening and lasting out to 15 years.” The findings were published online in Annals of Internal Medicine. The article points out that “overall, the recommendations are similar to those released by the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association in 2005.” Also covering the story are Aunt Minnie (1/28, 1K), HealthImaging


Posted by:  Steven Almany M.D.

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