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Published on: May 31, 2016
Aortic calcification in urolithiasis patients
Takahiro Yasui1, Yasunori Itoh, Gao Bing
1Department of Nephro-urology, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan. yasui@med.nagoya-cu.ac.jp
Insights
Urolithiasis (kidney stones) is linked to aortic artery calcification, particularly in younger males and older females. This suggests shared risk factors for both conditions.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Health
- Nephrology
- Radiology
Background:
- Urolithiasis, or kidney stones, affects a significant portion of the population.
- Arteriosclerosis, characterized by arterial calcification, is a major cardiovascular risk factor.
- The potential link between these two conditions requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between urolithiasis and aortic artery calcification.
- To compare the prevalence and severity of aortic calcification in patients with and without a history of kidney stones.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study involving 181 patients with urinary calcium stones and 181 controls.
- Abdominal computed tomography (CT) was used to quantify aortic arterial wall calcification.
- Patients were categorized by age, gender, and calcification score (0-3).
Main Results:
- Significant differences in aortic calcification scores were observed between groups.
- Males aged 20-40 with urolithiasis showed higher calcification (0.43±0.50) than controls (0.13±0.35).
- Females aged 60+ with urolithiasis exhibited greater calcification (1.81±0.74) compared to controls (1.44±0.64).
Conclusions:
- Urolithiasis and arteriosclerosis may share common underlying etiological factors.
- Adult males with arteriosclerosis appear to have a higher propensity for developing urolithiasis.
Objective:
To examine the relationship between urolithiasis and calcification of the aortic artery.
Material And Methods:
We examined the relationship between urolithiasis and calcification of the aortic artery in 181 patients with urinary calcium stones (stone group) and in 181 without a history of urolithiasis (control group). All patients underwent abdominal CT to score the degree of calcification at the aortic arterial wall, as follows: 0, none; 1, <120 degrees calcification; 2, > or =120 degrees to <240 degrees calcification; and 3, > or =240 degrees calcification. Both the stone and control groups were further classified into three groups each according to gender and age.
Results:
Aortic calcification scores differed significantly between the stone and control groups in males aged > or =20-<40 years (0.43+/-0.50 vs 0.13+/-0.35, respectively) and in females aged > or =60 years (1.81+/-0.74 vs 1.44+/-0.64, respectively).
Conclusion:
These findings suggest that common causative factors are associated with urolithiasis and arteriosclerosis and that adult males with arteriosclerosis develop urolithiasis more easily than those without.
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