ASSOCIATION OF AORTIC VALVE CALCIFICATION AND MITRAL ANNULUS CALCIFICATION WITH CORONARY ARTERY CALCIFICATION
G. Koulaouzidis, D. Charisopoulou, T. McArthur, P. Jenkins, M. Henein (Umea, London, United Kingdom)
Topic: Atherosclerosis
Type: Poster - doctors, 21th CSC Annual Congress
Background: Atherosclerosis is a systemic inflammatory process despite been prevalently detected in arteries. Aortic valve calcification (AVC) is an active process with histological similarities to atherosclerosis. Mitral annulus calcification (MAc) has been found to associate with standard cardiovascular risk factors.
Aim:To determine the relationship between AVC and MAC with the presence and extent of coronary artery calcification (CAC) in symptomatic patients.
Methods: From patients referred for measurement of CAC score between 03/2011-02/2012 we identified patients with AVC or/and MAC.
Results:The study group consisted from 282 patients; the mean age was 67.1=/-10.6 years old,while 176(63.8%) were males. Family history of coronary artery disease was present in 19.1% of the cohort, while 75.3% had hypercholesterolemia, 63% 63% were hypertensive, 12.3% were diabetic and 11.6% were smokers.
Isolated AVC was observed in 180 (63.8%) patients, isolated MAC in 7 (2.5%) and finally both AVC and MAC in 95 (33.6%). CAC was significantly correlated with AVC (r=0.29, p<0.0001), with MAC (r=0.36, p=0.0001) and with the presence of both AVC and MAC (r=0.39, p=0.0001).In the multiple regression analysis, with CAC being the dependent variable, we found that age (p<0.0001), male gender (p<0.0001), MAC (p<0.0001) and AVC (p<0.0001) and finally MAC & AVC (p<0.0001) were independent predictor of the presence of CAC.
Conclusions: The presence of valve calcification is an independent predictor of CAC. Detection of valve calcification on routine transthoracic echocardiography suggests a high probability of atherosclerosis and should be considered an indication for further investigation.