Mitral annulus calcification and embolism.
Of 388 patients consecutively referred to echocardiography, 49 were suspected of having a cardiac source of systemic arterial embolism (SE). Mitral annulus calcification (MAC) was revealed in 27% of the patients with SE and in 8% of the remaining patients (p less than 0.05). The group of patients with SE were slightly older (median age 67 years) and included more female patients (47%) compared to the group without SE (62 years, p less than 0.05; 40% female patients, p greater than 0.05). However, the small differences in age and sex distribution did not explain satisfactorily the considerably increased prevalence of MAC in the group of patients with SE. Our preliminary data indicated that thromboembolism caused by left atrial dilatation and atrial fibrillation might be the most important cause of the condition in patients with MAC and SE. However, the significance of the possible mechanisms of embolism in patients with MAC and the incidence of the complication should be further clarified before therapy and prophylaxis can be suggested.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D004452:Echocardiography; D004617:Embolism / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000473:pathology*