Role of Potential Biomarkers in Aortic Aneurysms: Does It Hold Promise for Clinical Decision Making?

Aortic aneurysms (AAs) are a life-threatening disease with a mortality rate of up to 80% when they rupture. AA has a multifactorial etiology, including smoking, advanced age, and family history, and has multifaceted pathophysiological mechanisms underlying its formation, mainly including inflammation of the aortic wall, reduction of medial smooth muscle cells, and degradation of the extracellular matrix. It is also a progressive disease. Their treatments are limited to open surgical repair and endovascular aneurysm repair. There is no effective drug treatment. The diagnosis of AA is usually made as a result of a scan performed for another reason. There is no specific diagnostic and prognostic biomarker available, and great efforts are being made on this subject. These studies reveal that in the future, the causal pathophysiological mechanisms for the occurrence and progression of AA will be elucidated and some potential biomarkers will be adopted to facilitate clinical decision-making. This commentary provides a brief contribution to Teng et al.'s analysis of the causal influence between AA and immune-metabolic interactions, and eventually identification of biomarkers.