The expression of MMP-7 in serum and aneurysm tissues of patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm associated with hypertension and the clinical efficacy of endovascular exclusion

W.-H. Zhang, C.-H. Qiao, X. Zhang, H. Luo, X.-K. Sun

Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, P.R. China. Jinwang1111@outlook.com

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• Cardiology

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7) in abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) with hypertension, and the clinical efficacy of endovascular exclusion.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Seventy-two cases of AAA with hypertension were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into the observation group (34 cases) and control group (38 cases). The control group was treated by AAA incision with artificial vascular replacement, while the observation group was treated by endovascular graft exclusion. Over the same period, 72 age- and sex-matched healthy adults and 72 patients with hypertension were selected. MMP-7 expression in patients with hypertension, aneurysm associated with hypertension, and healthy controls were measured by ELISA and immunohistochemical staining.

RESULTS: ELISA showed that serum MMP-7 levels of patients with an aneurysm were significantly higher than those of patients with simple hypertension and healthy controls (p<0.05). The operative time, blood loss, and blood transfusion in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group (p<0.05). At the 1-month follow-up, the prevalence of pulmonary infection, incision infection, lower limb thrombosis, and lower limb weakness in the observation group were significantly lower than in the control group (p<0.05). The quality of life scores in the observation group after 1 and 3 months was significantly higher than those in the control group (p<0.05). Immunohistochemistry showed that the expression of MMP-7 in aneurysm tissue was significantly higher than in normal tissue. The expression of MMP-7 in the two groups was significantly decreased compared with before surgery (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: The detection of MMP-7 expression in hypertensive patients is an early marker of the occurrence of AAA. The use of endovascular exclusion for the treatment of AAA with hypertension is minimally invasive and safe. Furthermore, postoperative vital signs of patients are stable, and the quality of life is improved.

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