Coronary calcification

BACKGROUND: Previous studies suggest a relationship of the epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) with progression and calcification of the atherosclerotic plaque; however, it is unknown if this tissue expresses genes that may participate on these processes and if the expression of these genes is regulated by high-density lipoprotein (HDL) subclasses. METHODS: To explore this possibility, we determined the mRNA expression by qPCR of a pro-calcifying gene (osteopontin (OPN)), and two anti-calcifying genes (osteoprotegerin (OPG) and osteonectin (ON)), in biopsies of EAT obtained from 15 patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) determined by angiography, and 15 patients with diagnostic of aortic valve stenosis but without CAD as control group...

The fibrous skeleton is concentrated at the base of the ventricular mass. It provides electrical insulation at the atrioventricular level and fibrous continuity for the leaflets of the mitral, aortic, and tricuspid valves. Its components include the fibrous trigones, the fibrous area of aortic-mitral continuity, the subvalvar collar of the mitral valve, the membranous septum, the interleaflet triangles, the tendon of Todaro, and likely the conus ligament. The majority of the mitral annulus is fibrous, but the only true fibrous part of the tricuspid annulus is where the valvar leaflets are attached to the central fibrous body...

BACKGROUND: Increasing coronary lesion calcification is thought to be associated with adverse percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and clinical outcomes. We investigated the effects of calcium burden on culprit lesion morphology and clinical events after intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-guided PCI in the ADAPT-DES study. METHODS: ADAPT-DES was a prospective, multicenter registry of 8582 consecutive patients undergoing successful PCI using DES. A pre-specified virtual histology (VH)-IVUS substudy of 638 culprit lesions (638 patients) had both pre- and post-PCI VH-IVUS...

PURPOSE: Excessive quantity of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is considered a risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). There are limited data, however, on the relationship between the quality of EAT and CAD. We investigated the association between the density and volume of EAT and subclinical CAD defined by positive coronary artery calcification (CAC), using computed tomography (CT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed 609 consecutive CT scans of patients with a mild to moderate risk for CAD to assess the EAT volume, which was measured manually by tracing the parietal pericardial sac on axial images...

OBJECTIVE: Although blood pressure (BP) is a major determinant of arterial stiffness, whether high pulse wave velocity (PWV) adversely influences cardiac parameters and cardiovascular (CV) outcome in patients without high BP remains unclear. METHODS: Outpatients without high BP (n=320), defined as systolic BP ≥140 mm Hg, were enrolled in this retrospective study. At baseline, all patients underwent echocardiography and multidetector CT to determine the coronary artery calcification (CAC) score...

Calcific aortic stenosis (AS) is the most common form of valvular heart disease in Europe and North America. It is a progressive disease with a prolonged period of asymptomatic latency which eventually leads to critical left ventricular outflow tract obstruction necessitating surgical replacement of the valve. Statins are lipid-lowering drugs with a robust evidence base demonstrating clinical benefit in atherosclerotic coronary artery disease. There has therefore been significant interest in the potential benefit of statins in AS...

Left ventricular aneurysms and pseudoaneurysms are complications of myocardial infarction. With advances in percutaneous coronary intervention, development of thrombolytic agents, and early initiation of treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors to decrease afterload and inhibit left ventricular remodeling, these complications have become much less common. Here, we report an incidental finding of a giant aneurysm of the left ventricle with associated thrombus and mural calcifications in an elderly male patient who presented to his primary care physician for abdominal pain and denied any prior coronary artery disease...

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death among patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Moderate drinking (vs abstinence) is associated with lower risk of CVD in the general population. We assessed whether alcohol use is associated with CVD risk in patients with NAFLD. METHODS: We analyzed data from participants in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults longitudinal cohort study of 5115 black and white young adults, 18-30 years old, recruited from 4 cities in the United States from 1985 through 1986...

BACKGROUND: Vascular calcification is common among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and it is associated with all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality. Deoxycholic acid, a metabolite of circulating bile acids, is elevated in CKD and induces vascular mineralization and osteogenic differentiation in animal models. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort analysis of clinical trial participants. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS: 112 patients with moderate to severe CKD (estimated glomerular filtration rate, 20-45mL/min/1...

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to determine the anatomic characteristics and clinical presentation associated with a calcified nodule (CN) as assessed by optical coherence tomography. BACKGROUND: CN is an unusual but demonstrable cause of acute coronary syndromes (ACS). METHODS: We studied 889 de novo culprit lesions in 889 patients (48% ACS) who underwent optical coherence tomography before intervention. CN was defined as an eruptive accumulation of nodular calcification (small fractured calcifications)...

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OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate optical coherence tomography (OCT) and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) versus coronary angiography in the assessment of target lesion calcification and its effect on stent expansion. BACKGROUND: IVUS is more sensitive than angiography in the detection of coronary artery calcium, but the relationship among IVUS, OCT, and angiography has not been studied. METHODS: Overall, 440 lesions (440 patients with stable angina) underwent OCT- and IVUS-guided stent implantation...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to determine the incidence and progression of coronary artery calcification (CAC) in asymptomatic middle-aged subjects and to evaluate the value of a broad panel of biomarkers in the prediction of CAC growth. BACKGROUND: CAC continues to be a major risk factor, but the value of biochemical markers in predicting CAC incidence and progression remains unresolved. METHODS: At baseline, 1,227 men and women underwent traditional risk assessment and a computed tomography (CT) scan to determine the CAC score...

PURPOSE: There are no sufficient data on the correlation between inter-arm blood pressure (BP) difference and coronary atherosclerosis found using coronary artery calcium score (CACS). We aimed to investigate if the increased difference in inter-arm BP is independently associated with severity of CACS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients who had ≥3 cardiovascular risk factors or an intermediate Framingham Risk Score (FRS; ≥10) were enrolled. Inter-arm BP difference was defined as the absolute difference in BP in both arms...

We report a case of severe aortic valve stenosis in a patient with Tangier disease. A 64-year-old female was diagnosed with Tangier disease on the basis of gene mutation. The serum levels of total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein were 124 mg/dl and 4.3 mg/dl, respectively. She had a symptom of dyspnea and echocardiography revealed severe aortic valve stenosis with the maximum gradient of 60.5 mmHg. Chest computed tomography showed severe calcification of the ascending aorta and the aortic root. Aortic valve replacement using a bioprosthetic valve was performed...

BACKGROUND: The klotho gene was identified as an "aging-suppressor" gene that accelerates arterial calcification when disrupted. Serum and vascular klotho levels are reduced in patients with chronic kidney disease, and the reduced levels are associated with arterial calcification. Intake of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), an n-3 fatty acid, reduces the risk of fatal coronary artery disease. However, the effects of EPA on arterial calcification have not been fully elucidated. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of EPA on arterial calcification in klotho mutant mice...

OBJECTIVES: We sought to evaluate the prevalence of calcified coronary lesions and the association between the use of atherectomy and clinical outcomes. BACKGROUND: Calcified coronary arteries are associated with an increased risk of procedural complications during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The outcomes of coronary atherectomy for adjunctive treatment of calcified coronary lesions are not well described. METHODS: We identified all patients treated for calcified coronary lesions at VA hospitals...

INTRODUCTION: A high degree of correlation exists between Coronary Artery Diseases (CAD) and calcification of the vessel wall. For Percutaneous Coronary Interventional (PCI) planning, it is essential to have an exact understanding of the extent to which calcium volume is correlated to the lumen, vessel, and atheroma volume regions in the coronary artery, which is unclear in recent studies. AIM: Four automated Coronary Calcium Volume (aCCV) measurement methods {threshold, Fuzzy c-Means (FCM), K-means, and Hidden Markov Random Field (HMRF)} and its correlation with three manual (experts) coronary parameters namely: Coronary Vessel Volume (mCVV), Coronary Lumen Volume (mCLV), and Coronary Atheroma Volume (mCAV), was determined in a Japanese diabetic cohort...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Depression is a mood disorder characterized by persistent feelings of loss of interest along with a cluster of clinical symptoms. It is a significant public health concern affecting 350 million people worldwide. Depression has an association with increased risk of cardiovascular disease. The World Health Organization estimates both depression and coronary artery disease to be the two major causes of disability-adjusted life years by year 2020. Early identification of subclinical cardiovascular disease in people suffering from depression may significantly impact risk stratification of these patients...