Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 30, 2026

Isolation of Valvular Endothelial Cells
11:04

Isolation of Valvular Endothelial Cells

Published on: December 29, 2010

21.0K

Risk factors for valvular calcification

Hao Yu Chen1,2, James C Engert1,2,3, George Thanassoulis1,2

  • 1Division of Experimental Medicine, McGill University.

Current Opinion in Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Obesity
|January 30, 2019
PubMed

Insights

This review identifies key risk factors for valvular calcification, including calcific aortic valve disease and mitral annular calcification. Understanding these factors may lead to new treatments for heart valve conditions.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Genetics
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Valvular calcification, including calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) and mitral annular calcification (MAC), is a growing concern.
  • Established risk factors for CAVD overlap with atherosclerosis, suggesting shared pathways.
  • Risk factors for MAC are less understood than for CAVD.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review established and emerging risk factors for valvular calcification.
  • To specifically examine risk factors for calcific aortic valve disease and mitral annular calcification.
  • To identify potential targets for pharmacological intervention.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of recent studies.
  • Analysis of established and emerging risk factors.
  • Examination of genetic associations from genome-wide analyses.

Main Results:

  • Established CAVD risk factors include age, male sex, smoking, hypertension, dyslipidemia, adiposity, and mineral metabolism.
  • Emerging CAVD risk factors include family history and lipoprotein(a) (LPA).
  • MAC risk factors include age, smoking, BMI, kidney dysfunction, and triglycerides; evidence for sex and C-reactive protein is conflicting.

Conclusions:

  • Established and emerging CAVD risk factors, some shared with atherosclerosis, offer potential for pharmacological intervention.
  • Mitral annular calcification is less understood, but some atherosclerosis risk factors are implicated.
  • Further research is needed to fully elucidate MAC pathogenesis and identify therapeutic targets.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Calcification of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells and Imaging of Aortic Calcification and Inflammation08:43

Calcification of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells and Imaging of Aortic Calcification and Inflammation

Published on: May 31, 2016

20.3K
In Vitro Rearing of Solitary Bees: A Tool for Assessing Larval Risk Factors08:50

In Vitro Rearing of Solitary Bees: A Tool for Assessing Larval Risk Factors

Published on: July 16, 2018

8.7K

Related Concept Videos

Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection01:26

Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection

The hosts' susceptibility to infection depends on several factors. The integrity of the skin and mucous membranes helps protect the body against microbial attacks. When the skin is altered, the chance of infection, limb loss, and even death increases.
The integrity and count of the white blood cells help the body resist pathogens and fight infection. When impaired, it reduces the body's resistance to pathogens. The acidic pH levels of the gastrointestinal, genitourinary tracts, and skin...
13.5K
Relative Risk01:12

Relative Risk

Relative risk (RR) is a statistical measure commonly used in epidemiology to compare the likelihood of a particular event occurring between two groups. This metric is important for evaluating the relationship between exposure to a specific risk factor and the probability of a particular outcome. It plays a crucial role in medical research, public health studies, and risk assessment. Relative risk quantifies how much more (or less) likely an event is to occur in an exposed group compared to an...
2.1K
Transcription Factors02:16

Transcription Factors

Tissue-specific transcription factors contribute to diverse cellular functions in mammals. For example, the gene for beta globin, a major component of hemoglobin, is present in all cells of the body. However, it is only expressed in red blood cells because the transcription factors that can bind to the promoter sequences of the beta globin gene are only expressed in these cells. Tissue-specific transcription factors also ensure that mutations in these factors may impair only the function of...
82.7K
Factors Affecting Solubility04:01

Factors Affecting Solubility

Compared with pure water, the solubility of an ionic compound is less in aqueous solutions containing a common ion (one also produced by dissolution of the ionic compound). This is an example of a phenomenon known as the common ion effect, which is a consequence of the law of mass action that may be explained using Le Chȃtelier’s principle. Consider the dissolution of silver iodide:
37.0K
Transcription Elongation Factors02:35

Transcription Elongation Factors

Transcription elongation is a dynamic process that alters depending upon the sequence heterogeneity of the DNA being transcribed. Hence, it is not surprising that the elongation complex's composition also varies along the way while transcribing a gene.
The transcription elongation is regulated via pausing of RNA polymerase on several occasions during transcription. In bacteria, these halts are necessary because the transcription of DNA into mRNA is coupled to the translation of that mRNA...
13.8K
Factors Affecting Drug Distribution: Miscellaneous Factors01:19

Factors Affecting Drug Distribution: Miscellaneous Factors

Drug distribution in the human body is a complex process influenced by various individual factors, including age, pregnancy, obesity, diet, body water composition, pH levels, and specific disease conditions.
Age plays a significant role due to differences in body composition among different age groups. Infants, for instance, have a higher proportion of total body water and lower albumin levels, a protein that binds drugs in the bloodstream. This unique composition in infants enhances the...
977