Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 3 complete abstracts (679 words), 9 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
Pathological outpouching or sac-like dilatation in the wall of any blood vessel (arteries or veins) or the heart (heart aneurysm). It indicates a thin and weakened area in the wall which may later rupture. Aneurysms are classified by location, etiology, or other characteristics.
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Aneurysms; Fusiform Aneurysm; Aneurysm, Fusiform; Aneurysms, Fusiform; Fusiform Aneurysms; Saccular Aneurysm.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Vascular Diseases
- Narrower topics
- Aneurysm, Infected; Aneurysm, Ruptured; Aortic Aneurysm; Coronary Aneurysm; Dissection, Blood Vessel; Endoleak; Heart Aneurysm; Iliac Aneurysm; Intracranial Aneurysm; Microaneurysm; Popliteal Artery Aneurysm; Retinal Arterial Macroaneurysm
Related concepts
- Arteries
- Veins
- Heart Aneurysm
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 146,004 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Aneurysm” (counts retrieved 2026-10-29). 26,836 of them (18.4%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is through 1999 with 49,899 records.
Reviews account for 14,613 records (10.0%) and meta-analyses for 1,511. Randomized controlled trials number 1,111 (0.8%) as a share of all records on the topic. Randomized trials make up only a small share of this literature, so much of what is known comes from laboratory, observational or descriptive work.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 49,899 |
| 2000-2009 | 28,287 |
| 2010-2019 | 40,982 |
| 2020 onward | 26,836 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 14,613 | 10.0% |
| Meta-analyses | 1,511 | 1.0% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 1,111 | 0.8% |
Method: PubMed query "Aneurysm"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-10-29.
Reading the evidence in cardiovascular medicine
Cardiovascular medicine has an unusually large body of randomized trials, so the type of outcome matters: hard clinical events such as death, heart attack and stroke carry more weight than changes in blood pressure, cholesterol or imaging markers that only predict risk. Observational studies can show associations but are confounded by age, lifestyle and other illness. Check whether a result is about prevention or treatment, the baseline risk of participants, and the absolute rather than only the relative size of any benefit.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACADM-mediated fatty acid β-oxidation pathway in atherosclerosis and abdominal aortic aneurysm | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 4 | cc by PMID 42247143 · DOI · PMC13696078 |
| Integrated Single-Cell and Spatial Analysis Reveals a Metabolic-Immune Axis Driving Aortic Dissection | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 3 | cc by PMID 42107066 · DOI · PMC13335668 |
| Aortic dissection incidence, management, and outcomes: national population-based study | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 1 | cc by PMID 42536774 · DOI · PMC13505866 |
ACADM-mediated fatty acid β-oxidation pathway in atherosclerosis and abdominal aortic aneurysm [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Background and aimsAtherosclerosis (AS) and abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) are both metabolism-associated vascular diseases, yet the role of lipid metabolic disturbances in their pathogenesis remains largely unknown.
- Closing excerpt
- ConclusionsThese findings define previously unrecognized distinct lipid metabolic characteristics in the pathogenesis of AS vs AAA, providing a basis for differential diagnosis and targeted treatments.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (294 words)
Background and aimsAtherosclerosis (AS) and abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) are both metabolism-associated vascular diseases, yet the role of lipid metabolic disturbances in their pathogenesis remains largely unknown. This study aimed to clarify the differential impact of lipid metabolic disturbances and their underlying mechanisms in AS and AAA.MethodsLipidomic analysis was performed to identify lipid metabolic differences between AS and AAA in various mouse models and different human cohorts. A multi-omics approach, integrated with functional assays, was utilized to elucidate the downstream mechanisms underlying disease-specific lipid metabolic features. Machine learning models were developed based on lipidomic features to differentiate AS from AAA.ResultsLipidomic analysis of mouse models and human samples revealed a predominant enrichment of neutral lipids (e.g. triglycerides and cholesterol esters) in AS, in contrast to phosphoglycerides in AAA. Consistently, large-scale longitudinal data from the UK Biobank showed strong positive associations of triglycerides, cholesterol, and fatty acid with the future risk of coronary atherosclerotic disease, while phosphoglycerides were negatively associated with the risk of AAA. Integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses identified fatty acid metabolism, particularly Acadm-mediated fatty acid β-oxidation (FAO) pathway, as the most significantly altered lipid metabolic pathway contributing to the lipid metabolic differences between AS and AAA. Consistently, targeted restoration of the Acadm-mediated FAO pathway inhibited AS by reducing lipotoxic metabolites and preserving mitochondrial homeostasis but had little impact on AAA. Further validation with lipid droplets autophagy-tethering compound (LD·ATTEC), which selectively eliminates intracellular lipid droplets, significantly alleviated AS progression and improved FAO with no significant change observed in AAA. Finally, predictive models were developed based on lipidomic features using machine learning algorithms, facilitating accurate differentiation between these two vascular diseases.ConclusionsThese findings define previously unrecognized distinct lipid metabolic characteristics in the pathogenesis of AS vs AAA, providing a basis for differential diagnosis and targeted treatments.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42247143 · DOI · PMC13696078
Integrated Single-Cell and Spatial Analysis Reveals a Metabolic-Immune Axis Driving Aortic Dissection [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Although single-cell studies have profiled diseased aorta, mechanisms driving aortic dissection (AD) remain largely elusive owing to limited cohorts.
- Closing excerpt
- This stromal-immune axis suggests potential therapeutic targets in AD.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (149 words)
Although single-cell studies have profiled diseased aorta, mechanisms driving aortic dissection (AD) remain largely elusive owing to limited cohorts. Here, we integrate single-cell and spatial transcriptomic data from 110 thoracic aortic samples (80 individuals; control, aneurysm, dissection; 767 018 high-quality cells) to generate a comprehensive thoracic-aorta cellular-molecular atlas. We identify an elastin-rich fibroblast subset (Fibro_C1_FBN1+; FBN1, MFAP5, LOX) that declines with age and is markedly depleted in AD, linking fibroblast loss to increased aortic wall vulnerability and dissection risk. Vascular smooth muscle cells (vSMCs) undergo ENO1-driven glycolytic reprogramming under hypoxia, lose contractility and adopt a synthetic, MIF-secreting phenotype that engages macrophage receptors to promote macrophage recruitment and pro-inflammatory polarization, leading aggregated macrophages to upregulate proteolytic and fibrinolytic pathways and thereby accelerate extracellular-matrix degradation. In vitro and in vivo, ENO1 knockdown inhibits vSMC switching, reduces macrophage inflammation, and slows AD progression. This stromal-immune axis suggests potential therapeutic targets in AD.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42107066 · DOI · PMC13335668
Aortic dissection incidence, management, and outcomes: national population-based study [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- BackgroundAortic dissection (AD) management requires early medical therapy and surgical intervention in selected patients with type A aortic dissection (TAAD) or complicated type B aortic dissection (TBAD).
- Closing excerpt
- These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to improve the diagnosis, management, and prognostication of AD, especially in women.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (236 words)
BackgroundAortic dissection (AD) management requires early medical therapy and surgical intervention in selected patients with type A aortic dissection (TAAD) or complicated type B aortic dissection (TBAD). The aim of this study was to assess incidence trends of AD in Sweden, and sex-based differences in management and outcomes over 25 years.MethodsThe Swedish National Patient Register and Cause of Death Register were used to identify new AD between 1999 and 2023. Incidence, management, and survival outcomes were analysed relative to the general population by matching age, sex, and year.ResultsSome 15 946 individuals had AD; 12 225 were admitted to hospital alive, and, of these, 6595 (53.9%) were treated medically. Of the 5630 surgically treated individuals, 4141 (73.6%) had TAAD and 1489 (26.4%) presented with TBAD. Incidence increased significantly to 9.32 per 100 000, with an annual percentage change (APC) of 1.4% (95% c.i. 1.2% to 1.6%). Incidence was lower for women (6.25 per 100 000) than men (10.52 per 100 000), but the APC was three-fold higher in women (APC 2.3% (95% c.i. 1.9% to 2.6%)) compared with men (APC 0.8% (95% c.i. 0.5% to 1.0%)). Women presented at an older age than men (mean of 71.9 versus 67.5 years, P ConclusionThe incidence of AD is increasing in Sweden, with persisting sex disparities in management and outcomes. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to improve the diagnosis, management, and prognostication of AD, especially in women.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42536774 · DOI · PMC13505866
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article Genome-wide association meta-analysis identifies risk loci for abdominal aortic aneurysm and highlights PCSK9 as a therapeutic target [4]
- Research article Long-term outcomes of flow diversion for unruptured intracranial aneurysms: a systematic review and meta-analysis [5]
- Research article Detection of cerebral aneurysms using artificial intelligence: a systematic review and meta-analysis [6]
- Research article Modifications in Aortic Stiffness After Endovascular or Open Aortic Repair: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis [7]
- Research article Meta-analysis of Comparative Studies Between Self- and Balloon-Expandable Bridging Stent Grafts in Branched Endovascular Aneurysm Repair [8]
- Research article Sex differences in type A acute aortic dissection: a systematic review and meta-analysis [9]
References
- Zhang H, Sun L, Xu T, Hou X, Zhong F, Shi F, et al.. ACADM-mediated fatty acid β-oxidation pathway in atherosclerosis and abdominal aortic aneurysm. . 2026. PMID 42247143 · DOI · PMC13696078
- Tao J, Yang H, Yong J, Chen X, Zhao Q, Wu X, et al.. Integrated Single-Cell and Spatial Analysis Reveals a Metabolic-Immune Axis Driving Aortic Dissection. . 2026. PMID 42107066 · DOI · PMC13335668
- Saricilar EC, Smedberg C, Hultgren R, Budtz-Lilly J, Mani K. Aortic dissection incidence, management, and outcomes: national population-based study. . 2026. PMID 42536774 · DOI · PMC13505866
- Roychowdhury T, Klarin D, Levin MG, Spin JM, Rhee YH, Deng A, et al.. Genome-wide association meta-analysis identifies risk loci for abdominal aortic aneurysm and highlights PCSK9 as a therapeutic target. Nat Genet. 2023. PMID 37845353 · DOI · PMC10632148
- Shehata MA, Ibrahim MK, Ghozy S, Bilgin C, Jabal MS, Kadirvel R, et al.. Long-term outcomes of flow diversion for unruptured intracranial aneurysms: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Neurointerv Surg. 2023. PMID 36150896 · DOI · PMC10033458
- Din M, Agarwal S, Grzeda M, Wood DA, Modat M, Booth TC. Detection of cerebral aneurysms using artificial intelligence: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Neurointerv Surg. 2023. PMID 36375834 · DOI · PMC9985742
- Bissacco D, Conti M, Domanin M, Bianchi D, Scudeller L, Mandigers TJ, et al.. Modifications in Aortic Stiffness After Endovascular or Open Aortic Repair: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg. 2022. PMID 35283000 · DOI
- Nana P, Spanos K, Brodis A, Panuccio G, Kouvelos G, Behrendt CA, et al.. Meta-analysis of Comparative Studies Between Self- and Balloon-Expandable Bridging Stent Grafts in Branched Endovascular Aneurysm Repair. J Endovasc Ther. 2023. PMID 35293261 · DOI
- Carbone A, Ranieri B, Castaldo R, Franzese M, Rega S, Cittadini A, et al.. Sex differences in type A acute aortic dissection: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur J Prev Cardiol. 2023. PMID 36629802 · DOI
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-10-31; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-10-29.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.