--- title: "Thoracic aorta calcification and non-CVD mortality. | Sutter Health" description: "Thoracic aortic calcification is associated with non-CVD morbidity and non-CVD mortality, potentially through a pathway that is unrelated to atherosclerosis." url: "https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/thoracic-aorta-calcification-and-non-cvd-mortality-1055312467" --- 1. [Home](https://www.sutterhealth.org/) / 2. [Research](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research) / 3. [Research publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications) / 4. Thoracic aorta calcification and non-CVD mortality. # Thoracic aorta calcification and noncardiovascular disease-related mortality: the multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis. Thomas IC, Thompson CA, Yang M, Allison MA, Forbang NI, Michos ED, McClelland RL, Budoff MJ, & Criqui MH. _Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. pii: ATVBAHA.118.310850. doi: 10.1161/ATVBAHA.118.310850. \[Epub ahead of print\]_ 2018-06-28 ## Abstract OBJECTIVE: Arterial calcification is highly correlated with underlying atherosclerosis. Arterial calcification of the thoracic aorta is evident in many older individuals at high susceptibility to aging-related diseases and non-cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related mortality. In this study, we evaluated the association of thoracic aorta calcification (TAC) with non-CVD morbidity and mortality. APPROACH AND RESULTS: We analyzed data from participants in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis, a prospective cohort study of subclinical atherosclerosis, in which participants underwent cardiac computed tomography at baseline and were followed longitudinally for incident CVD events and non-CVD events. Using modified proportional hazards models accounting for the competing risk of CVD death and controlling for demographics, CVD risk factors, coronary artery calcium, and CVD events, we evaluated whether TAC was independently associated with non-CVD morbidity and mortality. Among 6765 participants (mean age, 62 years), 704 non-CVD deaths occurred for a median follow-up of 12.2 years. Compared with no TAC, the highest tertile of TAC volume was associated with a higher risk of non-CVD mortality (hazard ratio, 1.56; 95% confidence interval, 1.23-1.97), as well as several non-CVD diagnoses, including hip fracture (2.14; 1.03-4.46), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (2.06; 1.29-3.29), and pneumonia (1.79; 1.30-2.45), with magnitudes of association that were larger than for those of coronary artery calcium. CONCLUSIONS: TAC is associated with non-CVD morbidity and non-CVD mortality, potentially through a pathway that is unrelated to atherosclerosis. TAC may be a general marker of biological aging and an indicator of increased risk of non-CVD and death. [PubMed abstract](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29954753) ## Research topics - [Aging and Longevity](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Aging+and+Longevity%5C%22%22) - [Cardiovascular Diseases](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Cardiovascular+Diseases%5C%22%22) - [Health Disparities](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Health+Disparities%5C%22%22) - [Lung Diseases](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Lung+Diseases%5C%22%22) - [Musculoskeletal Disorders](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Musculoskeletal+Disorders%5C%22%22) ## Related publications [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) - Publication ### [Does SLE widen or narrow race/ethnic disparities in the risk of five co-morbid conditions? Evidence from a community-based outpatient care system.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/sle-and-race-disparities-in-risk-of-co-morbid-conditions-1055312829) Falasinnu T, Chaichian Y, Li J, Chung S, Waitzfelder BE, Fortmann SP, Palaniappan L, Simard JF. Lupus. 28(14):1619-1627. doi: 10.1177/0961203319884646. Epub 2019 Oct 29. 2019 Dec 01 - Publication ### [Provider perspectives on advance care planning documentation in the electronic health record.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/providers-on-advance-care-plans-ehr-1055312324) Dillon E, Chuang J, Gupta A, Tapper S, Lai S, Yu P, Ritchie C, Tai-Seale M. Am J Hosp Palliat Care. 1049909117693578. doi: 10.1177/1049909117693578. \[Epub ahead of print\] 2017 Jan 01 - Publication ### [Vocational rehabilitation of cancer patients.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/vocational-rehabilitation-cancer-pts-1055312356) Helene G. Brown HG, Tai-Seale M. Semin Oncol Nurs. 8(3):202-211. 1992 Aug 01 - Publication ### [Comorbid chronic diseases and their associations with quality of life among gynecological cancer survivors.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/chronic-diseases-qol-gyn-cancer-survivors-1055312386) Wang JW, Sun L, Li J, Cong XH, Chen XF, Tang Z, Yu DH, Zhang TR, Luo ZN, Yuan ZP, Yu JM. BMC Public Health. 15:965. doi: 10.1186/s12889-015-2240-1. 2015 Sep 25 - Publication ### [Precision lifestyle medicine: a new frontier in the science of behavior change and population health.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/precision-lifestyle-medicine-1055312346) Ma J, Rosas LG, Lv N. Am J Prev Med. pii: S0749-3797(15)00638-8. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2015.09.035. \[Epub ahead of print\] 2015 Dec 01 [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/thoracic-aorta-calcification-and-non-cvd-mortality-1055312467#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Research","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Research publications","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Thoracic aorta calcification and non-CVD mortality."}]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalScholarlyArticle","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/thoracic-aorta-calcification-and-non-cvd-mortality-1055312467#medicalscholarlyarticle","name":"Thoracic aorta calcification and noncardiovascular disease-related mortality: the multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis.","headline":"Thoracic aorta calcification and non-CVD mortality.","abstract":"OBJECTIVE: Arterial calcification is highly correlated with underlying atherosclerosis. Arterial calcification of the thoracic aorta is evident in many older individuals at high susceptibility to aging-related diseases and non-cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related mortality. In this study, we evaluated the association of thoracic aorta calcification (TAC) with non-CVD morbidity and mortality. APPROACH AND RESULTS: We analyzed data from participants in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis, a prospective cohort study of subclinical atherosclerosis, in which participants underwent cardiac computed tomography at baseline and were followed longitudinally for incident CVD events and non-CVD events. Using modified proportional hazards models accounting for the competing risk of CVD death and controlling for demographics, CVD risk factors, coronary artery calcium, and CVD events, we evaluated whether TAC was independently associated with non-CVD morbidity and mortality. Among 6765 participants (mean age, 62 years), 704 non-CVD deaths occurred for a median follow-up of 12.2 years. Compared with no TAC, the highest tertile of TAC volume was associated with a higher risk of non-CVD mortality (hazard ratio, 1.56; 95% confidence interval, 1.23-1.97), as well as several non-CVD diagnoses, including hip fracture (2.14; 1.03-4.46), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (2.06; 1.29-3.29), and pneumonia (1.79; 1.30-2.45), with magnitudes of association that were larger than for those of coronary artery calcium. CONCLUSIONS: TAC is associated with non-CVD morbidity and non-CVD mortality, potentially through a pathway that is unrelated to atherosclerosis. TAC may be a general marker of biological aging and an indicator of increased risk of non-CVD and death.","description":"Thoracic aortic calcification is associated with non-CVD morbidity and non-CVD mortality, potentially through a pathway that is unrelated to atherosclerosis.","keywords":["Aging and Longevity","Cardiovascular Diseases","Health Disparities","Lung Diseases","Musculoskeletal Disorders"],"datePublished":"2018-06-28","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/thoracic-aorta-calcification-and-non-cvd-mortality-1055312467","inLanguage":"en-US","identifier":[{"@type":"PropertyValue","propertyID":"PMID","value":"29954753"},{"@type":"PropertyValue","propertyID":"DOI","value":"10.1161/ATVBAHA.118.310850"}],"sameAs":["https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29954753/","https://doi.org/10.1161/ATVBAHA.118.310850"],"isPartOf":{"@type":"Periodical","name":"Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol"},"author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Thomas IC"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Thompson CA"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Yang M"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Allison MA"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Forbang NI"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Michos ED"},{"@type":"Person","name":"McClelland RL"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Budoff MJ"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Criqui MH"}],"sourceOrganization":{"@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Palo Alto Medical Foundation Research Institute"},"about":[{"@type":"DefinedTerm","name":"Aging and Longevity","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?facets=%5B%7B%22i%22%3A%22c_researchTopics.name%22%2C%22v%22%3A%5B%22Aging+and+Longevity%22%5D%7D%5D&verticalKey=research_publication"},{"@type":"DefinedTerm","name":"Cardiovascular Diseases","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?facets=%5B%7B%22i%22%3A%22c_researchTopics.name%22%2C%22v%22%3A%5B%22Cardiovascular+Diseases%22%5D%7D%5D&verticalKey=research_publication"},{"@type":"DefinedTerm","name":"Health Disparities","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?facets=%5B%7B%22i%22%3A%22c_researchTopics.name%22%2C%22v%22%3A%5B%22Health+Disparities%22%5D%7D%5D&verticalKey=research_publication"},{"@type":"DefinedTerm","name":"Lung Diseases","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?facets=%5B%7B%22i%22%3A%22c_researchTopics.name%22%2C%22v%22%3A%5B%22Lung+Diseases%22%5D%7D%5D&verticalKey=research_publication"},{"@type":"DefinedTerm","name":"Musculoskeletal Disorders","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?facets=%5B%7B%22i%22%3A%22c_researchTopics.name%22%2C%22v%22%3A%5B%22Musculoskeletal+Disorders%22%5D%7D%5D&verticalKey=research_publication"}],"mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/thoracic-aorta-calcification-and-non-cvd-mortality-1055312467","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/thoracic-aorta-calcification-and-non-cvd-mortality-1055312467#breadcrumblist"}}} ```