title: Risk Factors Associated with Left-Sided Cardiac Valve Calcification: A Case Control Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify risk factors associated with cardiac valve calcification that is easily detectable through routine blood tests in patients who received valve replacement therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four hundred patients with valvular heart disease who underwent valve replacement surgery between December 2009 and January 2013 were enrolled in this study. Of these, 77 had valve calcification; the other 323 did not. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to assess for risk factors associated with valve calcification.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In our study population, rheumatic valve lesions were the most common reason for valve replacement. Degenerative nonstenotic valve lesion was a protective factor and degenerative stenotic valve lesion was a strong risk factor for valve calcification. Serum levels of gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) of between 30 and 46 IU/l and >90 IU/l and total bilirubin (TBIL) of between 15 and 20 μmol/l were positively correlated with valve calcification. Meanwhile, serum calcium (Ca2+) levels of between 2.3 and 2.4 mmol/l were negatively correlated with rheumatic valve calcification.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Degenerative stenotic lesion is a risk factor and degenerative nonstenotic lesion a protective factor for cardiac valve calcification. Serum GGT and TBIL levels are positively correlated and serum Ca2+ levels negatively correlated with rheumatic cardiac valve calcification.
authors: Department of Cardiology, Jiangyin Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jiangyin, PR China.
authors: Minyong
authors: M
authors: Jiang
authors: Lan
authors: L
authors: Wang
authors: Qinkao
authors: Q
authors: Xuan
authors: Yongfeng
authors: Y
authors: Shao
authors: Xiangqing
authors: X
authors: Kong
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Sun
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood*; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D065840:Protective Factors; D012214:Rheumatic Heart Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; D001663:Bilirubin; D002118:Calcium