title: Calcification of the thoracic aorta determined by three-dimensional computed tomography predicts cardiovascular complications in patients undergoing hemodialysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In patients on dialysis, the most common cause of death is cardiovascular disease. This is caused, at least in part, by excessive vascular calcification. Studies that have examined coronary calcification have been published, but these measurements require expensive equipment. Here, we used computed tomography to determine aortic calcification and evaluated these data as prognostic markers for cardiovascular disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Computed tomography with contrast medium was performed on 49 patients undergoing hemodialysis (29 males and 20 females; average age, 68.9 ± 11.0 years). A calcification score (CS) was defined as the ratio of the volume of vascular calcification to the volume of the thoracic aorta. All patients were monitored for cardiovascular end points, which included cerebral infarction or hemorrhage, myocardial infarction, electrocardiographic, or echocardiographic abnormalities that suggested myocardial ischemia, cardiac surgery, leg amputation, and hospitalization or death due to heart failure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients were followed for 3 years, with 12 patients reaching the end point. Both high CS (p = 0.007) and male gender (p = 0.009) were significantly associated with cardiovascular events. In contrast, events were not related to age, dialysis duration, diabetes mellitus, smoking status, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level, pulse-wave velocity, maximum intima-media thickness of the carotid artery wall, systolic blood pressure, or left ventricular hypertrophy. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that a high baseline CS was a significant predictor for cardiovascular events (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Calcification of the thoracic aorta determined by three-dimensional computed tomography predicts cardiovascular complications in patients on hemodialysis.
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Konan Hospital, Kobe, Japan.
authors: Nozomu
authors: N
authors: Kamiura
authors: Kiyoko
authors: K
authors: Yamamoto
authors: Shioko
authors: S
authors: Okada
authors: Makoto
authors: M
authors: Sakai
authors: Akira
authors: A
authors: Fujimori
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061330:Multidetector Computed Tomography; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D051436:Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D012737:Sex Factors; D061205:Vascular Calcification / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*