Pharmacophore an International Research Journal
Calcification in the arteries including coronary, carotid, and aorta can be an indication for cardiovascular diseases. This study was carried out in order to investigate the relationship between arterial calcification in mammography and carotid intima-media thickness and to examine the relationship between cardiovascular risk factors and arterial calcification in mammography. Seventy women with arterial calcification in mammography and 119 women without it with similar ages were examined and compared in terms of their BMI, increase in blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, the risk of carotid atherosclerosis, and background of coronary artery disease. The results of the study indicated that compared to the control group, the group with arterial calcification had more background of coronary artery disease, increase in blood pressure, and hypercholesterolemia (p values were respectively p-value=0.02, p<0.001, p<0.001, and p-value=0.013). This difference was however not significant in regard to diabetes (p-value=0.27). Moreover, it was observed that while the mean carotid intima-media thickness in the group with calcification was remarkably more than that of the group without calcification (respectively 0.78±0.13 and 0.61±0.1). In the group with calcification there was no correlation between different grades of calcification and carotid intima-media thickness although the level of calcification increased in the group (from 2 to 3 and 4) but the level of carotid intima-media thickness did not increase (respectively 0.78±0.12, 0.79±0.14, and 0.78±0.13).Arterial calcification in mammography developed more in individuals with blood pressure, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia and those with the history of heart diseases. In addition, it was observed that with an increase in arterial calcification, carotid intima-media thickness increased however the grade of this calcification had no relationship with carotid intima-media thickness.
