Breast arterial calcification is a predictive factor of cardiovascular disease in Brazilian postmenopausal women

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the association between cardiovascular disease (CVD) and breast arterial calcification (BAC), as well as the prevalence rates of these conditions in Brazilian postmenopausal women.

A cross-sectional study was performed in 307 women over 40 years of age who were receiving care at the gynecology clinic of the Center for Women's Integrated Healthcare (CAISM), ABC School of Medicine. All these women had been amenorrheic for at least 12 months and had undergone mammography in the preceding 12 months. Cardiovascular disease and its subtypes were evaluated, as well as its association with BAC. Means and standard deviations, absolute frequencies and percentages were calculated, and univariate analysis and multiple logistic regression were performed.

The mean age of the patients was 55.2 +/- 6.8 years; age at menopause was 48.5 +/- 4 years. Time since menopause was 80.2 +/- 75.4 months; 96.1% of the patients were non-smokers and 46.3% were using hormone therapy. Of the patients, 33.6% had systemic arterial hypertension, 4.9% had diabetes mellitus and 5.2% had hypercholesterolemia. The mean body mass index was 27.3 +/- 4.3 kg/m(2). CVD was found in 6.8% and BAC in 8.5% of the women. Significantly more women with BAC had CVD compared to the women who did not have this condition (23.1% vs. 5.3%, p = 0.0006). BAC was associated with an odds ratio of 8.13 (95% confidence interval 2.68-24.64) for predicting CVD.

In postmenopausal women, breast arterial calcification may represent a higher likelihood of cardiovascular disease.