title: Association of mitral annulus calcification, aortic valve sclerosis and aortic root calcification with abnormal myocardial perfusion single photon emission tomography in subjects age < or =65 years old.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We examined the hypothesis that mitral annulus calcification (MAC), aortic valve sclerosis (AVS) and aortic root calcification (ARC) are associated with coronary artery disease (CAD) in subjects age < or =65 years.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Mitral annulus calcification, AVS and ARC frequently coexist and are associated with coronary risk factors and CAD in the elderly.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 338 subjects age < or =65 years who underwent evaluation of chest pain with myocardial perfusion single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and a two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiogram for other indications. The association of MAC, AVS and ARC with abnormal SPECT was evaluated by using chi-square analyses and logistic regression analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with no or one calcium deposit and no or one coronary risk factor other than diabetes, multiple (> or =2) calcium (or sclerosis) deposits with diabetes or multiple (> or =2) coronary risk factors were significantly associated with abnormal SPECT in women age < or =55 years old (odds ratio [OR], 20.00), in women age >55 years old (OR, 10.00) and in men age < or =55 years old (OR, 5.55). Multivariate analyses identified multiple calcium deposits as a significant predictor for an abnormal SPECT in women (p < 0.001), younger subjects age < or =55 years (p < 0.05) and the total group of subjects (p < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When coronary risk factors are also taken into consideration, the presence of multiple calcium deposits in the mitral annulus, aortic valve or aortic root appears to be a marker of CAD in men < or =55 years old and women.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California 90048, USA.
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Atar
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Brasch
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mirocha
authors.forename: T Z
authors.initials: TZ
authors.lastname: Naqvi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kraus
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Berman
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Siegel
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004452:Echocardiography; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008946:Mitral Valve Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012598:Sclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon