Negative association of diabetes with rupture of abdominal aortic aneurysm

Purpose: To summarize the association of diabetes with abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture, we reviewed currently available studies with a systematic literature search and meta-analytic evaluation.

Methods: To identify all studies reporting the association of diabetes with abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture, MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched through July 2015. For each study, data regarding diabetes prevalence in both the ruptured and non-ruptured groups were used to generate an unadjusted odds ratio for abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture and 95% confidence intervals. Alternatively, an unadjusted or adjusted odds ratio, or hazard ratio for abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture with 95% confidence interval was directly abstracted (as available) from each individual study.

Results: Our search identified 11 eligible studies. A primary meta-analysis of nine studies reporting data on ruptured (not including non-ruptured symptomatic) abdominal aortic aneurysm demonstrated that diabetes was associated with significantly lower prevalence/incidence of abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture (odds ratio/hazard ratio, 0.71; 95% confidence interval, 0.56 to 0.89; p = 0.003). A secondary meta-analysis of all 11 studies (adding two studies in which non-ruptured symptomatic abdominal aortic aneurysm was included in the rupture group) also demonstrated that diabetes was associated with significantly lower prevalence/incidence of abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture (odds ratio/hazard ratio, 0.77; 95% confidence interval, 0.63 to 0.95; p = 0.01).

Conclusion: Diabetes is negatively associated with abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture.