Abstract
Aortic valve calcium without stenosis and mitral annulus calcium (MAC) are known to
correlate with atherosclerotic risk factors. Recently, it has been reported that MAC
is associated with atherosclerosis of the cardiovascular system, suggesting MAC as
an atherosclerotic process by itself. Hence, the aim of the present study was to determine
whether a similar association between aortic valve calcium and aortic atheroma exists.
Ninety-six patients (54 men and 42 women, mean age 72 ± 12 years) with aortic valve
calcium who underwent transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) formed the study group.
They were compared with 92 sex- and age-matched patients without aortic valve calcium
who underwent TEE for the same indications during the same period. The presence and
echocardiographic features of aortic atheromas were evaluated by TEE. No differences
were found between the groups in risk factors for atherosclerosis or in indications
for referral for TEE. Significantly higher rates were found in the aortic valve calcium
group for prevalence of aortic atheroma (86% vs 30%, p = 0.001). This significant
trend was also consistent with the dimension and complexity of the atheromas. On multivariate
analysis aortic valve calcium, and MAC were the only independent predictors of aortic
atheroma (p = 0.0001, 0.006 respectively). We conclude that there is a significant
association between the presence of aortic valve calcium and the presence and severity
of aortic atheroma. Thus, aortic valve calcium may serve as a window to atherosclerosis
of the aorta.
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Article Info
Publication History
Published online: August 16, 2004
Accepted:
January 14,
2000
Received in revised form:
January 14,
2000
Received:
August 3,
1999
Identification
Copyright
© 2000 Excerpta Medica Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
