Serum-elastin-peptides as Clinical Predictors of the Natural History of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms

Abstract

Serum-elastin-peptides (SEP) are reported to be predictive for expansion and rupture of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). However, the SEP-ELISA measures a wide range of peptides depending on the initial elastin fragmentation. Consequently, future production of further ingredients may vary considerably. The aim of this study to generate a second generation ELISA for quantification of SEP, and compare the new and old ELISAs biochemically and clinically. In 1994, 83 men with a screening diagnosed small AAA had a blood sample taken, and were followed with annual scans. SEP were determined using two similar ELISAs (ELISA-1 and ELISA-2). Two observers and one scanner were used. The inter-ELISA Pearson correlation coefficient was only 0.41 (95% CI: 0.22–0.57), and the arithmetic difference was 81.4 ng/ml (SD = 69.6, P < 0.0001). The correlation between ELISA-1, ELISA-2 and AAA expansion was 0.30 (95% CI: 0.08–0.49) and 0.37 (95% CI: 0.16–0.54), respectively. Transformation from old to new values and the reverse way did not change the initial predictive values. The two ELISAs measured relatively different kinds of elastin. Clinical application is questionnable before reproducable elastin peptides and antibodies can be produced.