Association of fetuin-A with mitral annular calcification and aortic stenosis among persons with coronary heart disease: data from the Heart and Soul Study.
BACKGROUND
Fetuin-A is a multifunctional hepatic secretory protein that inhibits dystrophic vascular and valvular calcification. Lower serum fetuin-A concentrations are associated with valvular calcification in persons with end-stage renal disease. Whether fetuin-A is associated with valvular calcification in other patient populations is unknown.


RESULTS
We evaluated the associations among serum fetuin-A concentrations, mitral annular calcification, and aortic stenosis in 970 ambulatory persons with coronary heart disease and without severe kidney disease. The presence or absence of mitral annular calcification and aortic stenosis was determined by transthoracic echocardiography. The subjects' mean age was 66 years; 81% were men; 189 (20%) had mitral annular calcification; and 79 (8%) had aortic stenosis. Participants were categorized by tertiles of fetuin-A concentrations. Those within the highest fetuin-A tertile had significantly lower odds of mitral annular calcification compared with the lowest tertile (adjusted odds ratio, 0.47; 95% confidence interval, 0.29 to 0.77; P=0.002); this association was similar regardless of diabetes status (P for interaction=0.34). In contrast, the association of fetuin-A with aortic stenosis was modified by the presence or absence of diabetes mellitus (P for interaction=0.03). Among participants without diabetes, the highest fetuin-A tertile had a significantly lower odds of aortic stenosis compared with the lowest tertile (adjusted odds ratio, 0.37; 95% confidence interval, 0.15 to 0.92; P=0.03), whereas among participants with diabetes, no statistically significant association was observed between fetuin-A and aortic stenosis (adjusted odds ratio, 1.49; 95% confidence interval, 0.48 to 4.63; P=0.49).


CONCLUSIONS
Among persons with coronary heart disease, we observed an inverse association of fetuin-A and mitral annular calcification. An inverse association also was observed between fetuin-A and aortic stenosis among participants without diabetes mellitus. Fetuin-A may represent an important inhibitor of dystrophic calcification in persons with coronary heart disease.
Ix
Joachim H
JH
Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Box 0532, HSE 672, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143-0532, USA. jix@medicine.ucsf.edu
Chertow
Glenn M
GM
Shlipak
Michael G
MG
Brandenburg
Vincent M
VM
Ketteler
Markus
M
Whooley
Mary A
MA
D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000473:pathology*; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015228:Hypertriglyceridemia / Q000097:blood; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D007668:Kidney / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000473:pathology*; D008946:Mitral Valve Stenosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis; D014463:Ultrasonography; D060749:alpha-2-HS-Glycoprotein
C556354:AHSG protein, human; C556357:Ahsg protein, mouse; D001798:Blood Proteins; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D012709:Serum Albumin; D060749:alpha-2-HS-Glycoprotein; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D002118:Calcium