Ascending Aortic Calcification as a Potential Predictor for Low Bone Mineral Density: A Pilot Study

Background. Identifying the factors related to low bone mineral density (BMD) can have significant implications for preventing hip fractures. The correlation between ascending aortic calcification and BMD has never been reported. Therefore, the purpose of the current study is to confirm the hypothes...

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Main Authors: Hirofumi Bekki, Takeshi Arizono, Yuki Suzuki, Akihiko Inokuchi, Takahiro Hamada, Ryuta Imamura, Ryunosuke Oyama, Yuki Hyodo, Eiji Kinoshita, Takumi Kita
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2021-01-01
Series:Journal of Osteoporosis
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/5526359
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author Hirofumi Bekki
Takeshi Arizono
Yuki Suzuki
Akihiko Inokuchi
Takahiro Hamada
Ryuta Imamura
Ryunosuke Oyama
Yuki Hyodo
Eiji Kinoshita
Takumi Kita
author_facet Hirofumi Bekki
Takeshi Arizono
Yuki Suzuki
Akihiko Inokuchi
Takahiro Hamada
Ryuta Imamura
Ryunosuke Oyama
Yuki Hyodo
Eiji Kinoshita
Takumi Kita
author_sort Hirofumi Bekki
collection DOAJ
description Background. Identifying the factors related to low bone mineral density (BMD) can have significant implications for preventing hip fractures. The correlation between ascending aortic calcification and BMD has never been reported. Therefore, the purpose of the current study is to confirm the hypothesis that ascending aortic calcification can be used as a predictive factor for low BMD and to find a radiographic sign to show it. Method. Plain film and computed tomography (CT) images of the thorax were obtained from 91 patients with hip fractures. Using the images, the calcification line of the ascending aorta adjacent to the aortic arch was evaluated. A prominent calcification line confirmed by both plain film and CT was classified as +2. A line which was ambiguous on plain film but confirmed by CT was classified as +1. Cases with no calcification were categorized as 0 (control). We compared the classified score with the BMD and calculated the kappa coefficient to measure intraobserver reliabilities for this radiographic finding. Results. Twenty-eight patients showed a +2 line, twenty-four patients showed a +1 line, and thirty-nine patients showed 0 lines. The median BMD of each group was 0.37 for the +2 line, 0.45 for the +1 line, and 0.51 for the 0 line. The BMD for the +2 group was significantly lower than the others. The kappa coefficient was approximately 0.6 (p<0.01). Conclusion. The imaging finding of calcification of the ascending aorta might be considered as a potential surrogate marker of low BMD. In such subjects, BMD might be ordered for the confirmation of diagnosis of osteoporosis. Mini-Abstract. The Aortic Arch Tail Sign, a calcification line on the ascending aorta, was relevant to low BMD in the current study. BMD can be ordered for the confirmation of diagnosis of osteoporosis in a subject incidentally found to have ascending aorta calcification on X-ray or CT.
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publishDate 2021-01-01
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series Journal of Osteoporosis
spelling doaj-art-ce97bdb39ed54757965726e4ccc5b21b2025-08-20T03:19:39ZengWileyJournal of Osteoporosis2090-80592042-00642021-01-01202110.1155/2021/55263595526359Ascending Aortic Calcification as a Potential Predictor for Low Bone Mineral Density: A Pilot StudyHirofumi Bekki0Takeshi Arizono1Yuki Suzuki2Akihiko Inokuchi3Takahiro Hamada4Ryuta Imamura5Ryunosuke Oyama6Yuki Hyodo7Eiji Kinoshita8Takumi Kita9Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kyushu Central Hospital of the Mutual Aid Association of Public School Teachers, Fukuoka, JapanDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kyushu Central Hospital of the Mutual Aid Association of Public School Teachers, Fukuoka, JapanDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kyushu Central Hospital of the Mutual Aid Association of Public School Teachers, Fukuoka, JapanDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kyushu Central Hospital of the Mutual Aid Association of Public School Teachers, Fukuoka, JapanDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kyushu Central Hospital of the Mutual Aid Association of Public School Teachers, Fukuoka, JapanDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kyushu Central Hospital of the Mutual Aid Association of Public School Teachers, Fukuoka, JapanDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kyushu Central Hospital of the Mutual Aid Association of Public School Teachers, Fukuoka, JapanDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kyushu Central Hospital of the Mutual Aid Association of Public School Teachers, Fukuoka, JapanDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kyushu Central Hospital of the Mutual Aid Association of Public School Teachers, Fukuoka, JapanDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kyushu Central Hospital of the Mutual Aid Association of Public School Teachers, Fukuoka, JapanBackground. Identifying the factors related to low bone mineral density (BMD) can have significant implications for preventing hip fractures. The correlation between ascending aortic calcification and BMD has never been reported. Therefore, the purpose of the current study is to confirm the hypothesis that ascending aortic calcification can be used as a predictive factor for low BMD and to find a radiographic sign to show it. Method. Plain film and computed tomography (CT) images of the thorax were obtained from 91 patients with hip fractures. Using the images, the calcification line of the ascending aorta adjacent to the aortic arch was evaluated. A prominent calcification line confirmed by both plain film and CT was classified as +2. A line which was ambiguous on plain film but confirmed by CT was classified as +1. Cases with no calcification were categorized as 0 (control). We compared the classified score with the BMD and calculated the kappa coefficient to measure intraobserver reliabilities for this radiographic finding. Results. Twenty-eight patients showed a +2 line, twenty-four patients showed a +1 line, and thirty-nine patients showed 0 lines. The median BMD of each group was 0.37 for the +2 line, 0.45 for the +1 line, and 0.51 for the 0 line. The BMD for the +2 group was significantly lower than the others. The kappa coefficient was approximately 0.6 (p<0.01). Conclusion. The imaging finding of calcification of the ascending aorta might be considered as a potential surrogate marker of low BMD. In such subjects, BMD might be ordered for the confirmation of diagnosis of osteoporosis. Mini-Abstract. The Aortic Arch Tail Sign, a calcification line on the ascending aorta, was relevant to low BMD in the current study. BMD can be ordered for the confirmation of diagnosis of osteoporosis in a subject incidentally found to have ascending aorta calcification on X-ray or CT.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/5526359
spellingShingle Hirofumi Bekki
Takeshi Arizono
Yuki Suzuki
Akihiko Inokuchi
Takahiro Hamada
Ryuta Imamura
Ryunosuke Oyama
Yuki Hyodo
Eiji Kinoshita
Takumi Kita
Ascending Aortic Calcification as a Potential Predictor for Low Bone Mineral Density: A Pilot Study
Journal of Osteoporosis
title Ascending Aortic Calcification as a Potential Predictor for Low Bone Mineral Density: A Pilot Study
title_full Ascending Aortic Calcification as a Potential Predictor for Low Bone Mineral Density: A Pilot Study
title_fullStr Ascending Aortic Calcification as a Potential Predictor for Low Bone Mineral Density: A Pilot Study
title_full_unstemmed Ascending Aortic Calcification as a Potential Predictor for Low Bone Mineral Density: A Pilot Study
title_short Ascending Aortic Calcification as a Potential Predictor for Low Bone Mineral Density: A Pilot Study
title_sort ascending aortic calcification as a potential predictor for low bone mineral density a pilot study
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/5526359
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