[Evaluation of the correlation between calcifications in the aortic valve and in the coronary arteries using MSCT].
BACKGROUND
Calcium score is the subject of wide research in evaluating atherosclerotic progression. The study aimed to determine whether an association exists between the presence of aortic valve calcium (a-CS) and coronary calcium (ca-CS) in patients with aortic valve stenosis as detected by multislice computed tomography (MSCT).


METHODS
We examined 45 patients (27M; 18F); aged 67 (SD 9.5) with the aortic valve stenosis mean grad. 47.8 mmHg; max. grad. 75.3 mmHg; mean aortic valve area 1.02 cm2. The quantitative evaluation of calcifications on the aortic valve (a-CS) and in the coronary arteries (ca-CS) was performed in all patients with the use of MSCT and conventional coronary angiography (CCA). Aortic valve and total coronary artery calcium score were analysed. U-Mann-Whitney test and Pearson's correlation were used in the statistical analysis. The correlation coefficients between a-CS and ca-CS and between the lesions in coronarography and ca-CS were calculated.


RESULTS
There was a weak correlation between aortic valve calcifications and coronary artery calcifications p=0.05, r=0.1. In 18 patients no coronary calcifications were found, none of the patients had lesions in CCA. In all patients with ca-CS > 400 there were significant stenoses in coronary arteries. A correlation between significant stenoses in CCA and ca-CS was established (p<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Aortic valve calcium score (a-CS) may indicate the advancement of coronary artery calcifications in the patients with aortic valve stenosis. In this particular group ca-CS correlates well with stenoses in coronary arteries, as identified by CCA. Patients with the ca-CS > 400 are at high risk of coronary arteries stenoses, which is significant information in operation procedure qualification and time to surgery.
Pasowicz
Mieczysław
M
Ośrodek Diagnostyki i Rehabilitacji, Chorób Serca i Płuc w Krakowskim, Szpitalu Specjalistycznym im. Jana Pawła II. m.pasowicz@szpitaljp2.krakow.pl
Konieczyńska
Małgorzata
M
Klimeczek
Piotr
P
Przewłocki
Tadeusz
T
Kabłak-Ziembicka
Anna
A
Podolec
Piotr
P
Tracz
Wiesława
W
D000368:Aged; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed