Neurosurgery
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Inflammation and macrophages in particular are believed to play a role in aneurysm formation. The haptoglobin (Hp) 2-2 genotype is associated with a proinflammatory state. ⋯ Hp2-2 mice formed aneurysms that were significantly larger and had a significantly greater number of macrophages in the aneurysm wall compared with Hp1-1 mice. This suggests that the proinflammatory state associated with the Hp2-2 protein is involved in aneurysm formation and that the Hp genotype may be a useful biomarker in predicting aneurysm progression.