ARS | Publication request: Epidemiology and Association of Vascular and Valvular Calcium Quantified by Multi-Detector Computed Tomography in Elderly Asymptomatic Subjects

Submitted to: American Journal Of Cardiology
Publication Acceptance Date: April 5, 2004
Publication Date: August 1, 2004
Citation: Cury, R.C., Ferencik, M., Hoffmann, U., Ferullo, A., Moselewski, F., Abbara, S., O'Donnell, C.J., Booth, S.L., Brady, T.J., Achenbach, S. 2004. Epidemiology And Association Of Vascular And Valvular Calcium Quantified By Multi-Detector Computed Tomography In Elderly Asymptomatic Subjects. American Journal Of Cardiology. 94:348-351.

Interpretive Summary: We studied the association between calcifications present in blood vessels (vascular) and calcifications present in valves of the heart (valvular) in 416 older men and women, between the ages of 60 and 80 years and without a history of coronary artery disease. Calcium in the coronary artery, descending thoracic aorta, aortic valve and mitral valve calcium was present in 282, 214, 152 and 68 subjects, respectively. Men and women with calcium in the aortic or mitral valve were more likely to have calcium in the coronary artery. We provided further evidence that calcifications in those regions are associated, and that the method of measurement (multi-detector computed tomography) can be used as a tool for a global assessment of vascular and valvular calcium.**

Technical Abstract: We studied the epidemiology and association between vascular and valvular calcifications as quantified by multi-detector computed Tomography (MDCT) in 416 elderly subjects without history of coronary artery disease. Coronary calcium (CC), descending thoracic aortic calcium (DTAC), aortic valve calcium (AVC) and mitral valve calcium (MVC) were present in 282 (68%), 214 (51%), 152 (37%) and 68 (16%) subjects, respectively. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that after adjusting for age and gender, subjects with AVC (OR-2.3), MVC (OR-2.81) and DTAC (OR-2.79) were independently and significantly more likely to have CC. We provided further substance to the notion that calcifications in those regions are associated and that MDCT can be used as a tool for a global assessment of vascular and valvular calcium.**