Objectives: Patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) have a high cardiovascular comorbidity besides the risk of aneurysmal rupture, the reasons being largely unknown. The aim of this study was to determine other possible vascular defects in the arterial system besides aneurysmal disease that might be of relevance for the increased comorbidity.

Methods: 23 male AAA-patients and 20 age-matched controls (C) were examined with tonometry using the Sphygmocore system, to determine aortic and brachial PWV. The relation between local common carotid artery (CCA) pressure and lumen diameter (LD) as well as IMT determined by ultrasound was studied as a measure of remodelling capacity of the carotid wall.

Results: AAA:s had higher aoPWV than C (11,2±2 vs 9,9±2 m/s, p=0.03). No difference in bPWV was seen. An increased LD in CCA was found in the AAA:s (7,5±1,3 vs 6,5±0,7 mm respectively, p<0,001). In C there was a positive correlation between local pulse pressure (LPP) and CCA IMT (r=0,49, p<0,001), which was not seen in the AAA (r=0,03, NS). The expected negative correlation between LPP and LD/IMT (r=−0,44, p=0,004) indicating a remodelling response in the CCA was found in C but not in AAA (r=−0,25, NS).

Conclusion: A changed aortic wall structure in central elastic arteries with high PWV in patients with AAA is seen. Further, the remodelling of the common carotid artery in response to local pulse pressure is defect. This form a background explaining the high cardiovascular comorbidity besides the risk of aneurysmal rupture in these patients.