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Updated: Jul 31, 2026
Calcification of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells and Imaging of Aortic Calcification and Inflammation
Published on: May 31, 2016
Association between calcification in the coronary arteries, aortic arch and carotid arteries: the Rotterdam study
Arlette E Odink1, Aad van der Lugt, Albert Hofman
1Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Erasmus Medical Center, PO Box 1738, 3000 DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Insights
Calcification in coronary and carotid arteries is more common in elderly men, while aortic arch calcification is more prevalent in women. Moderate to strong correlations exist between calcification in these major arteries.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular disease research
- Geriatric medicine
- Medical imaging analysis
Background:
- Vascular calcification is a common finding in the elderly.
- Understanding calcification patterns across different arterial beds is crucial for cardiovascular risk assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence of calcification in the coronary arteries, aortic arch, and carotid arteries in an elderly population.
- To examine the associations between calcification in these different vascular locations.
Main Methods:
- Utilized multislice computed tomography (MSCT) for assessment.
- Quantified calcification using Agatston, volume, and mass scores.
- Analyzed data from 600 elderly subjects (mean age 74 years) from the Rotterdam study.
Main Results:
- Higher prevalence of coronary and carotid artery calcification in men compared to women.
- Greater prevalence of aortic arch calcification observed in women.
- Significant correlations (p<0.001) found between calcification in different vessels, ranging from 0.30 to 0.54.
Conclusions:
- Sex-specific differences exist in the prevalence of vascular calcification.
- Moderate to strong correlations suggest interconnectedness of calcification across coronary, aortic, and carotid arteries.
Objective:
The present study was performed to examine the prevalence of and associations between calcification in the coronary arteries, aortic arch and carotid arteries, assessed by multislice computed tomography (MSCT), in an elderly population.
Methods And Results:
This study was part of the population-based Rotterdam study. From October 2003 until July 2004, subjects underwent a 16-slice MSCT scan. Calcification was quantified by calculating the Agatston, volume and mass score. Current analyses were performed in 600 subjects (mean age 74 years). The prevalences of calcification in the coronary and carotid arteries were higher in men compared to women. However, aortic arch calcification was more prevalent among women. In men, correlation coefficients based on the Agatston score ranged from 0.40 (between coronary and aortic arch calcification) to 0.54 (between aortic arch and carotid calcification) (p<0.001). Correlation coefficients for women ranged from 0.30 (between coronary and aortic arch calcification) to 0.40 (between coronary and carotid calcification) (p<0.001).
Conclusions:
While the prevalences of calcification in the coronary and the carotid arteries were higher in men compared to women, aortic arch calcification was more prevalent among women. Moderate to strong correlations between calcification in different vessel beds were found.
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