Aortic valve calcium as a novel risk marker for kidney function deterioration: The MESA study

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Nephrology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Aortic valve calcium (AVC) is linked to mortality and cardiovascular disease (CVD).
• Traditional CVD risk factors are associated with both AVC and chronic kidney disease (CKD).
• The relationship between AVC and incident CKD is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if AVC, measured by cardiac CT, is independently associated with the long-term risk of incident CKD.
• The study focused on individuals without a prior history of CVD.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 6346 Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) participants with baseline eGFR ≥ 60 mL/min/1.73 m².
• AVC quantified by Agatston method; incident CKD defined by eGFR decline and/or ICD codes.
• Kaplan-Meier analyses and multivariable Cox regression models used to assess the AVC-CKD association.

Main Results:

• Over 16.9 years, 15% of participants developed incident CKD.
• Higher AVC levels were associated with a significantly increased risk of developing CKD.
• Participants with AVC ≥100 had a 48% higher risk of incident CKD compared to those with AVC=0 (HR 1.48).

Conclusions:

• AVC is an independent predictor of increased risk for incident CKD in individuals without baseline CKD.
• Further research is necessary to elucidate the complex interplay between AVC, CKD, and atherosclerosis.