Epidemiology and Prognostic Factors in Acute Superior Mesenteric Artery Occlusion

Background Reports on trends in incidence and mortality of acute superior mesenteric artery (SMA) occlusion and evaluation of prognostic factors in recent years are lacking. Methods Patients with acute SMA occlusion were identified through the in-patient and autopsy registry between 1970 and 1982 (n=270), 1987 to 1996 (n=135), and 2000 and 2006 (n=100) in Malmo, Sweden. Results The overall incidence rate decreased from 8.6 to 5.4/100,000 person years and the autopsy rate from 87% to 25% over time. A higher serum creatinine level was associated with a lower probability of undergoing multi-detector row computed tomography with intravenous contrast (MDCTiv) (p=0.006). Not performing a MDCTiv (odds ratio 4.0; 95% confidence interval [1.0-16.0]) remained as independent prognostic factor for in-hospital mortality. General and vascular surgeons collaborated in 25 out of 61 patients that underwent an intervention, of which 21 (84%) (p<0.001) survived. Conclusions A close collaboration between radiologists and general and vascular surgeons seems to be most important to lower the mortality in patients with acute SMA occlusion.