Association of Cardiovascular Calcifications with Coronary Artery Disease

The aim of this study was to determine whether there is a significant association between calcification of the aortic valve or thoracic aortic calcified plaques and coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients undergoing coronary angiography. If an association could be established between cardiovascular calcifications and CAD, their presence might be used as a marker of coronary atherosclerosis. The study group consisted of 1100 patients who underwent coronary angiography. The presence of aortic valve calcification was identified by echocardiography. Chest X-rays were used to detect calcification in the thoracic aorta. Of the 1100 patients included in the study, 812 (73.8 percent) had CAD, and 288 (26.2 percent) had normal coronary arteries. Aortic valve calcification was present in 420 (38%) and aortic calcified plaques in 180 (16%) of the entire study population. The patients with aortic valve calcification had a significantly higher prevalence of CAD (88% vs 65%, p<0.0001) and higher rates of multivessel disease (65% vs 55%, p=0.003). Also, the prevalence of CAD (86% vs 71%, p<0.0001) and multivessel disease (66% vs 57%, p=0.035) were significantly higher in patients with aortic calcified plaques compared with the patients without aortic calcified plaques. Logistic regression analysis showed that aortic valve calcification (p=0.003) and aortic calcified plaques (p=0.004) were strongly and significantly associated with CAD after adjusting for coronary risk factors. In addition, patients with aortic valve calcification had a high incidence of aortic calcified plaques (23% vs. 12%, p<0.0001). In conclusion, we found a significant association of CAD with the presence of aortic valve calcification and aortic calcified plaques. Our study further demonstrates that aortic valve calcification is significantly associated with calcified plaques in the thoracic aorta. Therefore, the presence of these calcifications should be regarded as a sign for the presence of CAD. (Türk Kardiyol Dern Arş 2004; 32: 364-370)