Vascular Calcifications are Associated with Increased Mortality in Patients with Acute Mesenteric Ischemia

Abstract

Vascular calcifications have been identified as predictors of mortality in several cardiovascular diseases but have not been investigated in context of acute mesenteric ischemia. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of vascular calcifications in patients with acute mesenteric ischemia. Patients admitted for an acute mesenteric ischemia were retrospectively included. The presence of calcifications in the visceral aorta, the celiac trunk, the superior mesenteric artery, and the renal arteries was assessed on computed tomography scan images at the arterial phase. The calcification volumes were measured using the software Aquarius iNtuition Edition®. The all-cause mortality was 55 out of 86 patients (63.9%) for a median follow-up of 3.5days (1-243). The survival rate of patients with calcification in the superior mesenteric artery was significantly lower than that of those without calcification (22% vs. 55.6%, P=0.019). Patients who died had significantly a higher frequency of calcifications in the superior mesenteric artery, the visceral aorta, the celiac trunk, and the renal arteries. The presence of vascular calcifications in the superior mesenteric artery is associated with increased mortality in patients diagnosed with acute mesenteric ischemia. Further studies are required to identify the mechanisms underlying this association.