| Title: |
Sex differences in the prevalence and risk factors for aortic valve calcification in the general population |
| Authors: |
Adeli, Athena; Swahn, Eva; Lind, Lars; Soderberg, Stefan; Blomberg, Anders; Engstrom, Gunnar; Östgren, Carl Johan; Jernberg, Tomas; Bergstrom, Goran; Settergren, Magnus; Wang, Anne; Shahim, Bahira |
| Publisher Information: |
Linköpings universitet, Avdelningen för diagnostik och specialistmedicin; Linköpings universitet, Medicinska fakulteten; Region Östergötland, Kardiologiska kliniken US; Linköpings universitet, Avdelningen för prevention, rehabilitering och nära vård; Region Östergötland, Vårdcentralen Ekholmen; Linköpings universitet, Centrum för medicinsk bildvetenskap och visualisering, CMIV; Karolinska Inst, Sweden; Uppsala Univ, Sweden; Dept Publ Hlth & Clin Med, Sweden; Umeå Univ, Sweden; Lund Univ, Sweden; Danderyd Hosp, Sweden; Univ Gothenburg, Sweden; Karolinska Inst, Sweden; Karolinska Univ Hosp, Sweden; BMJ PUBLISHING GROUP |
| Publication Year: |
2026 |
| Collection: |
Linköping University Electronic Press (LiU E-Press) |
| Subject Terms: |
Epidemiology; Aortic Valve Stenosis; Gynaecology; Obstetrics and Reproductive Medicine; Gynekologi; obstetrik och reproduktionsmedicin |
| Description: |
Background Aortic valve calcification (AVC) is a disease process driven by inflammation and lipid infiltration, serving as a precursor to aortic stenosis. While male sex has been implicated as a risk factor for AVC, sex-specific differences, particularly among younger individuals in the general population, are not well characterised.Methods The Swedish CArdioPulmonary BioImage Study was used, comprising 30 154 individuals between 50 and 64 years, randomly selected from the general population. Study participants were part of a prospective cohort and underwent laboratory tests, clinical examinations, comprehensive questionnaires and cardiac CT. Cardiac CT was used for determining presence of AVC. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess associations between traditional cardiovascular risk factors and AVC.Results In total, 29 160 participants were included and AVC was found in 1291 men (9%) and 730 women (5%). Male sex was an independent predictor of AVC (OR 1.91; 95% CI 1.71 to 2.13). Characteristics associated with AVC were similar between the sexes. In the adjusted analyses, lipoprotein(a), hyperlipidaemia, hypertension and smoking were strongly associated with AVC, whereas low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, diabetes, glycated haemoglobin and estimated glomerular filtration rate showed no significant associations with AVC. Higher body mass index (BMI) was associated with AVC in men but not women.Conclusions Male sex was independently associated with AVC, and the prevalence of AVC was nearly twice as high in men as in women. Traditional cardiovascular risk factors, including lipoprotein(a), hyperlipidaemia, hypertension and smoking, were associated with AVC, with similar associations between sexes, except for BMI, which was associated with AVC in men but not in women. ; Funding Agencies|Stockholm lns landsting [FoUI-988371]; Karolinska Institutet [2-116/2023]; Swedish Society of Medicine [987010]; Swedish Research Council [2022-01472]; Swedish Heart-Lung ... |
| Document Type: |
article in journal/newspaper |
| File Description: |
application/pdf |
| Language: |
English |
| Relation: |
Heart, 1355-6037, 2026; PMID 41611525; ISI:001674642000001 |
| DOI: |
10.1136/heartjnl-2025-326468 |
| Availability: |
http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-221111; https://doi.org/10.1136/heartjnl-2025-326468 |
| Rights: |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
| Accession Number: |
edsbas.A52DE9D6 |
| Database: |
BASE |