Growth of the Thoracic Aorta in the Smoking Population: The Danish Lung Cancer Screening Trial

Investigators reported the distribution of thoracic aortic growth in smokers based on longitudinal data of current and ex-smokers aged 50-70 years from the Danish Lung Cancer Screening Trial. Mean and 95th percentile of annual aortic growth of the ascending aortic and descending aortic diameters were calculated with the first and last noncontrast computed tomography scans during follow-up.

A total of 1,987 participants (56% male, mean age 57.4 ± 4.8 years) were included and followed for a median of 48 months. The ascending and descending aortic growth was approximately 0.1 mm/year and consistent with growth in the general population. The 95th percentile ranged from 0.42 to 0.47 mm/year, depending on sex and location. Larger aortic growth was associated with lower age, increased height, absence of medication for hypertension or hypercholesterolemia, and lower Agatston scores.