Impact of aortic or mitral valve sclerosis and calcification on cardiovascular events and mortality: A meta-analysis

Abstract

The need and the modalities of screening for subclinical atherosclerosis are the subjects of an intense debate in the clinical arena; several tools have already been proposed for this purpose and are currently used in clinical practice. The ultrasound assessment of calcified cardiac structures has gained relevance in recent years. Aortic valve sclerosis (AVS) and calcification (AVC), mitral apparatus calcification, including mitral annulus (MAC) and mitral valve calcification (MVC), all detected by standard trans-thoracic echocardiography, have been proposed as markers for an increased risk of fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular (CV) events due to systemic atherosclerosis [ [1] Völzke H. Haring R. Lorbeer R. et al. Heart valve sclerosis predicts all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Atherosclerosis. 2010; 209: 606-610 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (80) Google Scholar ]. An overlap of clinical factors associated with AVS/AVC, MAC/MVC and coronary artery calcium has been clearly demonstrated [ [2] Jeon D.S. Atar S. Brasch A.V. et al. Association of mitral annulus calcification, aortic valve sclerosis and aortic root calcification with abnormal myocardial perfusion single photon emission tomography in subjects age < or =65 years old. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2001; 38: 1988-1993 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (71) Google Scholar ], so that coronary artery atherosclerosis and cardiac valve calcifications seem to be part of a shared pathogenic process.