Aortic valve sclerosis in patients with peripheral and/or coronary arterial disease.

BACKGROUND: Aortic valve sclerosis (AVS) is a marker of cardiovascular risk; its prevalence increases in elderly and in patients with hypertension and/or coronary arterial disease (CAD). There are no data available in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and with both CAD and PAD. METHODS: To investigate the presence of AVS, 57 patients with stable CAD, 38 with PAD, and 62 with CAD + PAD where studied by echocardiography. RESULTS: The prevalence of AVS progressively increased within groups (P = 0.005). The prevalence of AVS in PAD doubled that in CAD group (42.1% vs. 22.8%, P < 0.05). PAD patients had a 4.634 (95% CI: 1.02-17.88; P = 0.026) fold increased risk of AVS compared to CAD. Also CAD + PAD group had a higher prevalence of aortic sclerosis when compared to CAD group (50.8% vs. 22.8%, P = 0.001). CAD + PAD showed a 3.799 (95% CI: 1.26-11.45; P < 0 .01) fold greater risk of aortic sclerosis than CAD group. There were no differences in AVS prevalence between CAD + PAD and PAD group (50.8% vs. 42.1%; P = 0.36). Age was related to AVS in both analysis (PAD vs. CAD and CAD + PAD vs. CAD: OR = 1.09, 95% CI: 1.02-1.16, P = 0.011 and OR = 1.13, 95% CI: 1.07-1.21; P < 0.001) but no classical cardiovascular risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: PAD patients have an elevated prevalence of AVS greater than CAD patients. In patients with both disease, the prevalence of AVS is similar to that of patients with PAD alone.