title: Does aortic valve sclerosis predicts the severity and complexity of coronary artery disease?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We assessed the association of aortic valve sclerosis (AVS) with atherosclerotic risk factors and severity and complexity of coronary artery disease (CAD).
  
  
  METHODS
  In this retrospective study, a total of 482 eligible patients were divided into 2 groups: AVS present and AVS absent. All major cardiovascular risk factors and coronary lesion characteristics were included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Age was the only independent predictor of AVS. AVS was not independently associated with the number of obstructive vessels, degree of lesion obstruction and SYNTAX score.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AVS is probably a benign marker of age-related degenerative changes in the heart independent of the severity and complexity of CAD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Lutheran Medical Center, 150 55th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11220, USA. Electronic address: cardiothorax@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Hemal
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bhatt
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Lutheran Medical Center, 150 55th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11220, USA.
authors.forename: Dharmesh
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sanghani
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Lutheran Medical Center, 150 55th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11220, USA.
authors.forename: Kell
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Julliard
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Lutheran Medical Center, 150 55th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11220, USA.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fernaine
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000473:pathology*; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009518:New York / Q000453:epidemiology; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
keywords: Aortic valve sclerosis; Coronary artery disease; SYNTAX score