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Updated: May 5, 2026

Calcification of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells and Imaging of Aortic Calcification and Inflammation
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Determinants of coronary artery and aortic calcification in the Old Order Amish

Wendy Post1, Lawrence F Bielak, Kathleen A Ryan

  • 1Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA. wpost@jhmi.edu

Circulation
|January 31, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Coronary artery calcification (CAC) and aortic calcification (AC) share risk factors, but differ in gender and age associations. Both calcifications have a significant genetic component and share some genetic and environmental influences.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Disease Research
  • Genetics of Atherosclerosis
  • Medical Imaging Analysis

Background:

  • Coronary artery calcification (CAC) is a known cardiovascular disease risk factor.
  • Thoracic aortic calcification (AC) risk factors and genetic contributions are less understood.
  • Investigating AC alongside CAC provides a broader view of vascular calcification.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize risk factors for both CAC and AC.
  • To estimate the genetic contribution to the variation of CAC and AC.
  • To compare the risk factors and genetic influences between CAC and AC.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized electron beam computed tomography and fasting blood tests in 614 Amish subjects.
  • Assessed prevalence and quantity of CAC and AC.
  • Collected data on cardiovascular risk factors.

Main Results:

  • CAC prevalence higher in men; AC prevalence showed no sex difference.
  • Age more strongly associated with AC presence than CAC presence.
  • Subjects with AC had higher odds of having CAC; significant heritability for both CAC and AC presence and quantity.
  • Identified shared genetic and environmental correlations between CAC and AC quantity.

Conclusions:

  • CAC and AC share risk factors, with notable differences in gender (CAC only) and age (stronger in AC) associations.
  • Suggests shared genetic and environmental factors influence both CAC and AC.
  • Indicates that distinct genetic and environmental factors also contribute to calcification at each site independently.
Abstract

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