Exposure to ambient air pollution and calcification of the mitral annulus and aortic valve: the multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis (MESA).

ABSTRACT:

Background

Long-term exposure to high ambient air pollution has been associated with coronary artery calcium (CAC), a marker of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Calcifications of left-sided heart valves are also markers of CVD risk. We investigated whether air pollution was associated with valvular calcification and its progression.

Methods

We studied 6253 MESA participants aged 45-84 years who underwent two cardiac CT scans 2.5 years apart to quantify aortic valve calcium (AVC) and mitral annular calcium (MAC). CAC was included for the same timeframe for comparison with AVC/MAC. Ambient particulate matter <2.5 μm (PM_2.5) and oxides of nitrogen (NO_x) concentrations were predicted from residence-specific spatio-temporal models.

Results

The mean age (

SUBMITTER: Tibuakuu M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5740967 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature