title: The association of renal artery calcification with hypertension in community-living individuals: the multiethnic study of atherosclerosis.
abstract: Hypertension (HTN) is a modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Renal artery calcium (RAC) may signal the presence of flow-limiting atherosclerotic disease that may contribute to changes in the kidney's regulation of blood pressure. We hypothesized that RAC is independently associated with HTN. We examined a multiethnic cohort of 1285 participants who underwent abdominal computed tomography scans in five US communities. After adjustment for age, gender, race/ethnicity, CVD risk factors, abdominal aortic calcium score, and kidney function, the presence of RAC was associated with a 50% higher odds of HTN (odds ratio: 1.54; 95% confidence interval 1.11-2.13). Similarly, the presence of RAC was associated with a 8.5 mm Hg higher systolic blood pressure, a 2.1 mm Hg higher diastolic blood pressure, and a 7.4-mm Hg higher pulse pressure. In conclusion, independent of CVD risk factors, abdominal aortic calcium, and kidney function, the presence of RAC is associated with HTN prevalence.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA. Electronic address: icthomas@ucsd.edu.
authors.forename: Isac C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
authors.forename: Amanda R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Ratigan
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
authors.forename: Dena E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Rifkin
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
authors.forename: Joachim H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Ix
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
authors.forename: Michael H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Criqui
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute, Harbor-University of California Los Angeles Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90502, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Budoff
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Allison
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007668:Kidney / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012077:Renal Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D061205:Vascular Calcification / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*
keywords: Atherosclerosis; Hypertension; Multiethnic; Renal artery calcification