Aortic valve calcium score is associated with coronary calcified plaque burden

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the aortic valve calcium score (AVCS) and the coronary plaque burden using 64-slice multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT). Calcification of the aortic valve without significant aortic stenosis itself has been suggested to be a marker of atherosclerosis. In this study, we attempted to identify a quantitative correlation between AVCS and the coronary plaque burden assumed by the Gensini score. We retrospectively evaluated 200 patients (aged 40 - 88 years) who underwent MDCT and coronary angiography for chest pain. After exclusion of an aortic stenosis (peak velocity ≥ 2.0 m/s), the plaque burden of the coronary artery was determined by the Gensini score based on the plaque composition (calcified, mixed, or noncalcified plaque) of the CT angiogram. The calcific aortic valve group (AVCS > 0) showed no significant difference in the total plaque burden compared to the noncalcific aortic valve group (AVC = 0) (Gensini score 23.6 ± 15.1 versus 21.2 ± 17.5, P = 0.31). However, the calcified plaque burden was higher in the calcific aortic valve group (Gensini score by calcified plaque 9.1 ± 10.4 versus 5.5 ± 8.6, P = 0.008). In the subgroup of patients who had an AVCS of more than 90.0 (upper 75th percentile, n = 20), the AVCS showed a more significant correlation with the Gensini score by calcified plaque (r = 0.618, P < 0.01). Our results suggest that a high level of AVCS is associated with the calcified plaque burden of the coronary artery rather than the total plaque burden.