Familial calcification of aorta and calcific aortic valve disease associated with immunologic abnormalities

Abstract

We report three patients of the same family with linear calcification of the ascending aorta, severe calcific mixed aortic valve disease associated with increased levels of globulins, λ-chain gammopathy, an increased T 4/T 8 lymphocyte ratio, and other immunologic abnormalities. None of the patients had syphilis, atherosclerosis, abnormalities of calcium or phosphorus metabolism, lymphadenopathy, or other systemic diseases. It is postulated that these cases and some previously reported in the literature as idiopathic represent a distinct pathologic entity, familial or sporadic, in which localized vascular and valvular calcific disease is associated with an underlying immunologic disorder or autoimmune process.