title: High prevalence of abdominal aortic calcification in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism as evaluated by Kauppila score.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The prevalence of abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) in primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is unknown. We assessed both prevalence and severity of AAC in PHPT postmenopausal women.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study 70 PHPT postmenopausal women and 70 age- and sex-matched controls were enrolled. Each participant underwent biochemical evaluation, lateral spine radiograph, bone mineral density (BMD) measurement (lumbar, femoral, radial sites), and kidney ultrasound. Lateral lumbar films were analyzed in the region of L1-L4 vertebrae and the Kauppila score (a semi-quantitative grading system) was used to assess the severity of AAC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no differences regarding demographic and cardiovascular risk factors in the two groups. PHPT patients had higher prevalence of kidney stones (30% vs 7%, P=0.0008) and lower radial BMD values (0.558±0.071 vs 0.588±0.082 g/cm(2), P<0.05) compared with controls. PHPT patients showed higher prevalence of AAC (31 vs 18, P=0.03), with more severe calcifications (Kauppila score 7.35±6.1 vs 5.05±3.5, P=0.007). PHPT patients with AAC were older and had been suffering from the disease for a longer period compared with those without ACC. Moreover, PHPT patients with severe AAC had mean higher serum parathyroid hormone levels compared with patients with moderate or mild calcifications. In PHPT patients with AAC, multiple regression analysis, adjusted for age and years since diagnosis, showed that only parathyroid hormone significantly correlated with Kauppila score.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found a higher prevalence and severity of AAC in PHPT related to parathyroid hormone effect.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Disciplines'Sapienza' University, Rome, Italy jessica.pepe76@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pepe
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiological Sciences, Oncology and Pathology'Sapienza' University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Diacinti
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiological Sciences, Oncology and Pathology'Sapienza' University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fratini
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases'Sapienza' University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Italo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nofroni
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Disciplines'Sapienza' University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'Angelo
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Disciplines'Sapienza' University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pilotto
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Disciplines'Sapienza' University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Savoriti
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Disciplines'Sapienza' University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Luciano
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Colangelo
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Disciplines'Sapienza' University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Orlando
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Raimo
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Disciplines'Sapienza' University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Mirella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cilli
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Disciplines'Sapienza' University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Cristiana
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cipriani
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Disciplines'Sapienza' University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Minisola
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D049950:Hyperparathyroidism, Primary / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed