Breast arterial calcification is associated with reproductive factors in asymptomatic postmenopausal women.
OBJECTIVE
The etiology of breast arterial calcification (BAC) is not well understood. We examined reproductive history and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor associations with the presence of detectable BAC in asymptomatic postmenopausal women.


METHODS
Reproductive history and CVD risk factors were obtained in 240 asymptomatic postmenopausal women from a community-based research study who had a screening mammogram within 2 years of their participation in the study. The mammograms were reviewed for the presence of detectable BAC. Age-adjusted logistic regression models were fit to assess the association between each risk factor and the presence of BAC. Multiple variable logistic regression models were used to identify the most parsimonious model for the presence of BAC.


RESULTS
The prevalence of BAC increased with increased age (p < 0.0001). The most parsimonious logistic regression model for BAC presence included age at time of examination, increased parity (p = 0.01), earlier age at first birth (p = 0.002), weight, and an age-by-weight interaction term (p = 0.004). Older women with a smaller body size had a higher probability of having BAC than women of the same age with a larger body size.


CONCLUSIONS
The presence or absence of BAC at mammography may provide an assessment of a postmenopausal woman's lifetime estrogen exposure and indicate women who could be at risk for hormonally related conditions.
Bielak
Lawrence F
LF
Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA. lfbielak@umich.edu
Whaley
Dana H
DH
Sheedy
Patrick F
PF
Peyser
Patricia A
PA
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008327:Mammography; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause; D015995:Prevalence; D017584:Reproductive History; D012307:Risk Factors