Hypercholesterolemia association with aortic stenosis of various etiologies.
BACKGROUND
Hypercholesterolemia has been found to be associated with aortic valve stenosis and to resemble the inflammatory process of atherosclerosis in many studies. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of hypercholesterolemia in development of aortic valve calcification in different etiologies.


METHODS
The study included 988 patients with rheumatic, congenital, or degenerative aortic stenosis, who underwent aortic valve replacement at Koşuyolu Heart and Research Hospital between 1985 and 2005. Effects of hypercholesterolemia and high low-density lipoprotein level on calcific aortic stenosis or massive aortic valve calcification were analyzed for each etiologic group.


RESULTS
Both univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that the high serum cholesterol level (>200 mg/dL) was related to massive aortic valve calcification in all patients (p = 0.003). Hypercholesterolemia was linked to calcific aortic stenosis and massive calcification in patients with degenerative etiology (p = 0.02 and p = 0.01, respectively) and it was related to massive calcification in patients with congenital bicuspid aorta (p = 0.02). Other independent risk factors for calcific aortic stenosis and massive calcification in the degenerative group were high low-density lipoprotein level (>130 mg/dL; p = 0.03 and p = 0.05, respectively) and high serum C-reactive protein level (p = 0.04 and p = 0.05, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Hypercholesterolemia is related to increased risk of aortic valve calcification in patients with degenerative and congenital etiology. Preventive treatment of hypercholesterolemia could play an important role to decrease or inhibit development of aortic valve calcification.
Rabuş
Murat Bülent
MB
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Koşuyolu Heart and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
Kayalar
Nihan
N
Sareyyüpoğlu
Başar
B
Erkin
Alper
A
Kirali
Kaan
K
Yakut
Cevat
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D002648:Child; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012214:Rheumatic Heart Disease; D012307:Risk Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055815:Young Adult
D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D002097:C-Reactive Protein