Increased aortic arch calcification in patients older than 75 years: Implications for carotid artery stenting in elderly patients

Quantification of aortic arch calcium content. Vitrea software (version 2.0) was used to apply the Agatston coronary calcium score. A, The aortic arch of a 54-year-old patient without significant arch calcium. B, A representative aortic arch of a 77-year-old patient demonstrates diffuse aortic arch calcium content (arrows).

Increased aortic arch calcium content correlates with increasing patient age. A, Positive correlation between age and aortic arch calcium content by linear regression (r² = 0.34; P < .0001). B, The mean calcium score for patients increases by decade in a highly significant fashion (P < .001). *Significant difference compared with patients younger than 50 years of age (P = .03 [70-79 years] or P < .001 [≥80 years]; Scheffé post hoc test). C, Increased arch calcification in patients 75 years or older compared with those less than 75 years old (*P < .001).

Aortic arch elongation is associated with a higher calcium content compared with nonelongated arches. *Significant difference (P = .01; unpaired t test).