The impact of mitral annular calcification on left ventricular function in nonagenarians.
OBJECTIVE
Mitral annular calcification (MAC) is known to be associated with degenerative processes of the cardiac fibrous skeleton and cardiovascular disease mortality. However, MAC has not been evaluated in an extreme age group (patients >/=90 years of age). In this study, the clinical significance of MAC associated with aging was examined in this age group and compared with MAC associated with aging in a younger (20 to 50 years of age) group of patients.


METHODS
We assessed echocardiographic parameters in 43 nonagenarians and 51 young patients. In the nonagenarian group, patient's age was 92+/-2 years and 27% were male; in the young control group, patient's age was 36+/-9 years and 51% were male. Comprehensive M-mode and Doppler echocardiography, including tissue Doppler imaging, were performed. The frequency and severity of MAC was assessed from the leading anterior to the trailing posterior edge at its largest width for least 3 cardiac cycles.


RESULTS
Echocardiography showed that the left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic dimension was larger in the young controls (p=0.007); however, the ejection fraction (EF) was lower in the nonagenarian group (p=0.001). The frequency of MAC was greater in nonagenarians {42/43 (97%)} than in controls {9/51 (17%), p<0.0001}. The maximal width of MAC was larger in nonagenarians (0.52+/-0.17 mm and 0.05+/-0.13 mm, p<0.0001). MAC was correlated with LV mass index (g/m(2)) (r=0.280, p=0.014) and EF (%) (r=-0.340, p=0.001). More importantly, early mitral inflow velocity/early diastolic mitral annulus velocity (E/E') was strongly correlated with MAC in non-agenarians (r= 0.683, p<0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
MAC may be associated with extreme age and increased LV filling pressure in nonagenarians. Further study is necessary to assess the cardiovascular mortality and structural changes related to mitral annulus calcification associated with aging.
Seo
Ki Woo
KW
Division of Cardiology, Heart Research Institute, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Korea.
Kim
Eun Young
EY
Kim
Jeong Eun
JE
Cho
Eun Jung
EJ
Kwon
Jee Eun
JE
Oh
Min Seok
MS
Hong
Joon Hwa
JH
Seo
Jae Seung
JS
Lee
Wang-Soo
WS
Lee
Kwang Je
KJ
Kim
Sang-Wook
SW
Kim
Tae Ho
TH
Kim
Chee Jeong
CJ
Cho
Dae Yun
DY
Ryu
Wang Seong
WS