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Review
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Korean J Med. 2006;71(1):297-297.
- The relation of aortic valve calcification with critical coronary artery disease
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.Kang Kim
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- The relation of aortic valve calcification with critical coronary artery disease
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1Department of Internal Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul; 2Department of Life Science, Postech Biotech Center, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, Korea
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- Abstract
- Aortic valve calcification (AVC) is considered to be a marker of atherosclerosis and has been demonstrated to predict
cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to investigate whether AVC detected by transthoracic
echocardiography is related with severity of coronary artery disease (CAD). We evaluated 327 patients, who were undergoing
coronary angiogram from January to July 2006. Two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography and selective coronary
angiography were performed in all patients. (149 males, mean age 59¡¾12 years) Aortic valve calcification was defined as bright
dense echoes of > 1 mm on one or more cusps and decreased mobility of the involved cusp. AVC was detected in 57 (17.4%)
of the 327 patients and 118 patients, in that AVC was detected 30 patients (25%), had critical CAD. AVC was significantly
related with critical CAD (p<0.01). There was no relation of the presence of AVC with sex, risk factors, laboratory findings,
involved vessel and lesion type in patients with CAD. But age and the severity of coronary artery disease (defined as the number
of obstructed vessels) was related to the presence of AVC (p <0.05). In conclusion, detection of AVC by transthoracic
echocardiography may be a useful non-invasive marker for identification of significant multivessel coronary artery disease.
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