Increasing aortic valve calcification scores in elderly males were significantly associated with decreased aortic valve area (P=0.0001), increased mean gradient (P=0.0001), and AVR (P<0.0001).
Cross-Sectional (n=828)
Does increasing aortic valve calcification score on non-contrast CT associate with adverse echocardiographic findings and aortic valve replacement in elderly males?
In elderly males from the general population, increasing aortic valve calcification scores on non-contrast CT strongly correlate with echocardiographic signs of aortic stenosis and the need for aortic valve replacement.
p-value: p=0.0001
AIMS: Aortic valve calcification (AVC) detected by non-contrast computed tomography (NCCT) associates with morbidity and mortality in patients with aortic valve stenosis. However, the importance of AVC in the general population is sparsely evaluated. We intend to describe the associations between AVC score on NCCT and echocardiographic findings as left atrial (LA) dilatation, left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy, aortic valve area (AVA), peak velocity, mean gradient, and aortic valve replacement (AVR) in a population with AVC scores ≥300 AU. METHODS AND RESULTS: Of 10 471 males aged 65-74 years from the Danish Cardiovascular Screening trial (DANCAVAS), participants with AVC score ≥300 AU were invited for transthoracic echocardiography and 828 (77%) of 1075 accepted the invitation. AVC scores were categorized (300-599, 600-799, 800-1199, and ≥1200 AU). AVR was obtained from registries. AVC was significantly associated with a steady increase in LA dilation (10.5%, 16.3%, 15.8%, 19.6%, P = 0.031), LV hypertrophy (3.9%, 6.6%, 8.9%, 10.1%, P = 0.021), peak velocity (1.7, 1.9, 2.1, 2.8 m/s, P = 0001), mean gradient (6, 8, 11, 19 mmHg, P = 0.0001), and a decrease in AVA (2.0, 1.9, 1.7, 1.3 cm2, P = 0.0001). The area under the curve was 0.79, 0.93, and 0.92 for AVA ≤1.5 cm2, peak velocity ≥3.0 m/s, and mean gradient ≥20 mmHg, respectively, and the associated optimal AVC score thresholds were 734, 1081, and 1019 AU. AVC > 1200 AU was associated with AVR (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Among males from the background population, increasing AVC scores were associated with LA dilatation, LV hypertrophy, AVA, peak aortic velocity, mean aortic gradient, and AVR.
Khurrami et al. (Tue,) conducted a cross-sectional in Aortic valve calcification (n=828). Aortic valve calcification (AVC) score vs. Lower AVC score categories was evaluated on Echocardiographic findings (LA dilatation, LV hypertrophy, AVA, peak velocity, mean gradient) and AVR (p=0.0001). Increasing aortic valve calcification scores in elderly males were significantly associated with decreased aortic valve area (P=0.0001), increased mean gradient (P=0.0001), and AVR (P<0.0001).