title: Prevalence and clinical correlates of mitral annulus calcification in Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Data about mitral annulus calcification (MAC) are sparse in Hispanics. We compare prevalence and clinical correlates of MAC in Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed echocardiograms and clinical data of 337 Hispanics and 279 non-Hispanic whites, age 45 to 75 years. In cross-sectional data, prevalence and interrelationships of MAC, coronary heart disease (CHD), and risk factors were compared using multivariable logistic regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In Hispanics, MAC was significantly associated with CHD (odds ratio [OR] = 2.06, confidence interval [CI] = 1.09-3.87), age (OR = 1.73, CI = 1.21-2.49), female sex (OR = 1.87, CI = 1.01-3.47), smoking (OR = 1.80, CI = 1.01-3.24), and having multiple (>2) risk factors (OR = 3.43, CI = 2.66-4.43). In non-Hispanic whites, MAC was associated with CHD (OR = 4.24, CI = 2.00-8.98), age (OR = 2.87, CI = 1.82-4.50), and having multiple risk factors (OR = 3.59, CI = 2.7-4.77). There were no significant ethnic differences in prevalence of MAC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among Hispanics referred for echocardiography, MAC is associated with CHD and risk factors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA. hjwillens@bellsouth.net <hjwillens@bellsouth.net>
authors.forename: Howard J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Willens
authors.forename: Julio A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Chirinos
authors.forename: Charles H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Hennekens
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000208:ethnology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005431:Florida / Q000208:ethnology; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000208:ethnology*; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008946:Mitral Valve Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000208:ethnology*; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*