Prediction of significant conduction disease through noninvasive assessment of cardiac calcification.
OBJECTIVE
Cardiac calcification is associated with coronary artery disease, arrhythmias, conduction disease, and adverse cardiac events. Recently, we have described an echocardiographic-based global cardiac calcification scoring system. The objective of this study was to evaluate the severity of cardiac calcification in patients with permanent pacemakers as based on this scoring system.


RESULTS
Patients with a pacemaker implanted within the 2-year study period with a previous echocardiogram were identified and underwent blinded global cardiac calcium scoring. These patients were compared to matched control patients without a pacemaker who also underwent calcium scoring. The study group consisted of 49 patients with pacemaker implantation who were compared to 100 matched control patients. The mean calcium score in the pacemaker group was 3.3 ± 2.9 versus 1.8 ± 2.0 (P = 0.006) in the control group. Univariate and multivariate analysis revealed glomerular filtration rate and calcium scoring to be significant predictors of the presence of a pacemaker.


CONCLUSIONS
Echocardiographic-based calcium scoring correlates with the presence of severe conduction disease requiring a pacemaker.
Section of Cardiac Electrophysiology, Albert Einstein Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19141, USA.
Sumeet K
SK
Mainigi
Lakshmi Hima Bindu
LH
Chebrolu
Abel
A
Romero-Corral
Vinay
V
Mehta
Rodolfo Rozindo
RR
Machado
Tomas
T
Konecny
Gregg S
GS
Pressman
D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity