{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,20]],"date-time":"2026-09-20T18:52:29Z","timestamp":1789930349211,"version":"4.0.1"},"reference-count":36,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,4,22]],"date-time":"2024-04-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1713744000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"European Program FP7","award":["200647"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["200647"]}]},{"name":"Belgian Fonds pour la Chirurgie Cardiaque","award":["200647"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["200647"]}]},{"name":"Aneurysmal Pathology Foundation Liege-Belgium","award":["200647"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["200647"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JCM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a life-threatening condition due to the risk of aneurysm growth and rupture. Biomarkers linked to AAA pathogenesis are attractive candidates for AAA diagnosis and prognosis. The aim of this study was to assess circulating biomarkers levels relationship with PET imaging positivity and their predictive value in AAA growth rate. Methods: A total of 164 patients with AAA had whole body [18F]FDG PET\/CT examination and blood drawn for biomarkers analysis at inclusion. Of these, 121 patients had at least one follow-up imaging assessment for AAA progression. Median (quartiles) imaging follow-up period was 32.8 months (15.2\u201369.6 months). Results: At baseline, PET was visually positive in 28 (17%) patients. Among PET+ patients, female proportion was higher compared to PET\u2212patients (respectively, n = 6, 21.4% vs. n = 11, 8.1%, p = 0.046). Biomarkers of inflammation (CRP, CCL18), of proteolytic activity (MMP9), of extracellular matrix, and calcification regulation (OPN, OPG) were all significantly increased in PET+ patients (p &lt; 0.05). During follow-up, rapid AAA growth (increase in size \u2265 1 cm per year) was observed in 36 (29.8%) patients and several biomarkers (CRP, MMP9, OPN, and OPG) were increased in those patients compared to patients without rapid growth (p &lt; 0.05). Conclusions: Although PET positivity at baseline was not associated with rapid growth, CRP levels showed a significant association.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm13082448","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,4,22]],"date-time":"2024-04-22T12:38:41Z","timestamp":1713789521000},"page":"2448","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":13,"title":["Can Biomarkers and PET Imaging Predict Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Growth Rate?"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5254-5278","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Samuel","family":"Bruls","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, University Hospital of Li\u00e8ge, 4000 Li\u00e8ge, Belgium"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6942-5299","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lucia","family":"Musumeci","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, University Hospital of Li\u00e8ge, 4000 Li\u00e8ge, Belgium"},{"name":"Surgical Research Center (GIGA\u2014Cardiovascular Science Unit), University Hospital of Li\u00e8ge, 4000 Li\u00e8ge, Belgium"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Audrey","family":"Courtois","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Surgical Research Center (GIGA\u2014Cardiovascular Science Unit), University Hospital of Li\u00e8ge, 4000 Li\u00e8ge, Belgium"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Roland","family":"Hustinx","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Li\u00e8ge, 4000 Li\u00e8ge, Belgium"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sarah","family":"Sakalihasan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, University of Li\u00e8ge, 4000 Li\u00e8ge, Belgium"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Gauthier","family":"Namur","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nuclear Medicine, CHC Mont-L\u00e9gia, 4000 Li\u00e8ge, Belgium"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jean-Olivier","family":"Defraigne","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, University Hospital of Li\u00e8ge, 4000 Li\u00e8ge, Belgium"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0291-934X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Natzi","family":"Sakalihasan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, University Hospital of Li\u00e8ge, 4000 Li\u00e8ge, Belgium"},{"name":"Surgical Research Center (GIGA\u2014Cardiovascular Science Unit), University Hospital of Li\u00e8ge, 4000 Li\u00e8ge, Belgium"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,4,22]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"34","DOI":"10.1038\/s41572-018-0030-7","article-title":"Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms","volume":"4","author":"Sakalihasan","year":"2018","journal-title":"Nat. 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