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Updated: Aug 23, 2026
Identifying Coronary Artery Calcification on Non-gated Computed Tomography Scans
Published on: August 28, 2018
Association between cardiac valvular calcification and coronary artery disease in a low-risk population
Hyung-Kwan Kim1, Seung-Jung Park, Jung-Won Suh
1Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Insights
Mitral annulus calcification (MAC) and aortic valve sclerocalcification (AVSC) are linked to coronary artery disease (CAD) in Koreans. Detecting these valvular conditions alongside risk factors improves CAD prediction.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Diagnostic Imaging
- Public Health
Background:
- Mitral annulus calcification (MAC) and aortic valve sclerocalcification (AVSC) are age-related conditions.
- These calcifications are associated with coronary artery disease (CAD) in Caucasian populations.
- The association and predictive power of MAC and AVSC for CAD in Koreans remain underexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between MAC and AVSC and CAD in a Korean population.
- To determine if MAC and AVSC can predict the presence of CAD in Koreans.
- To assess the combined predictive value of valvular calcifications and coronary risk factors for CAD.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 308 patients with chest pain undergoing coronary angiography and echocardiography was analyzed.
- Patients were categorized into CAD-positive and CAD-negative groups.
- Multivariate analysis was used to assess the association of MAC, AVSC, and conventional coronary risk factors (cRF) with CAD.
Main Results:
- MAC and AVSC were significantly more prevalent in patients with CAD compared to those without (p < 0.001).
- MAC, male gender, AVSC, and diabetes mellitus were independently associated with CAD.
- A positive linear relationship existed between MAC/AVSC prevalence and the extent of CAD.
- Multiple valvular sclerocalcification (MVSC) combined with ≥2 cRF yielded an odds ratio of 12.3 for CAD.
Conclusions:
- MAC and AVSC are independently associated with CAD in a low-risk Korean population.
- The combination of MVSC and ≥2 cRF enhances the prediction of CAD presence.
- Transthoracic echocardiography detection of MVSC in patients with ≥2 cRF warrants consideration for underlying CAD.
Background:
Mitral annulus calcification (MAC) or aortic valve sclerocalcification (AVSC) is common with aging and associated with coronary artery disease (CAD) in Caucasians. This study was performed to determine whether MAC or AVSC is also associated with, and has a power to predict, CAD in Koreans as in Caucasians.
Methods:
Three hundred and eight patients with chest pain, who had undergone coronary angiography and transthoracic echocardiography, were enrolled (189 males; mean 60.5 +/- 9.8 years).
Results:
The prevalence of MAC and AVSC was significantly more common in CAD (+) compared with CAD (-) group (83.9%:55.2%, 87.9%:57.5%, respectively, both p < 0.001). On multivariate analysis with MAC and AVSC along with conventional coronary risk factors (cRF), MAC, male gender, AVSC, and diabetes mellitus were significantly associated with CAD (p < 0.001, < 0.001, 0.010 and 0.014 respectively). Additionally, a positive linear relationship was found between the prevalence of both MAC and AVSC and the extent of CAD defined by the number of stenotic coronary arteries (both p < 0.001). Furthermore, the odds ratio for CAD in the group with both multiple valvular sclerocalcification (MVSC) and > or = 2 cRF was 12.3 compared to the < or = 1 cRF group without MVSC.
Conclusions:
MAC and AVSC were independently associated with CAD in a low-risk Korean population. Also, combination of MVSC with > or = 2 cRF increased the predictability of the presence of CAD. Therefore, the possibilities of CAD must be considered when MVSC is detected in transthoracic echocardiography in patients with > or = 2 cRF.
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