Prevalence of mitral annulus calcification in African Americans: comparison with non-Hispanic whites and Hispanics.
BACKGROUND
The association of ethnic ancestry with coronary artery calcifications suggests that mitral annulus calcification may also vary with ethnicity. We sought to compare prevalence and clinical correlates of mitral annulus calcification in non-Hispanic Whites, Hispanics, and African Americans.


METHODS
This was a retrospective study of 857 patients age 40-75 years that included 217 (25%) African Americans, 349 (41%) Hispanics, and 291 (34%) non-Hispanic Whites referred for echocardiography. Multiple logistic regression was used to determine the interrelationships between mitral annulus calcification, risk factors, and ethnicity.


RESULTS
Mitral annulus calcification was detected in 181 (21.1%) patients including 35 (16.1%) African Americans, 80 (22.9%) Hispanics, and 66 (22.7%) non-Hispanic whites. In univariate analysis, patients with mitral annulus calcification were older and more likely to have hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, smoking history, and two or more risk factors than were those without calcification. In multivariate analysis, age and smoking history were independent predictors of mitral annulus calcification; dyslipidemia and diabetes were borderline significant predictors; and after adjusting for the remaining variables in the model, ethnicity was not an independent significant predictor of mitral annulus calcification.


CONCLUSIONS
In a retrospective study of middle-aged and elderly African Americans, non-Hispanic Whites, and Hispanics referred for echocardiography, mitral annulus calcification is common in all three major ethnic groups but not significantly associated with ethnic ancestry.
Willens
Howard J
HJ
Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Florida, USA. hjwillens@bellsouth.net
Chirinos
Julio A
JA
Gómez-Marin
Orlando
O
Hare
Joshua M
JM
de Marchena
Eduardo
E
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D000368:Aged; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D005431:Florida / Q000453:epidemiology; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit; D008875:Middle Aged; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D008946:Mitral Valve Stenosis / Q000208:ethnology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D044465:White People