CALCIFICATION OF THE THORACIC AORTA ON CHEST X-RAY – ASSOCIATIONS WITH ABDOMINAL AORTIC CALCIFICATION AND PULSE WAVE VELOCITY IN PATIENTS ON RENAL REPLACEMENT THERAPY Schjelderup P. 1 , Jensen J.D. 3 , Otte K.E. 4 , Ladefoged S. 2 , Jensen P.B. 5 , Christensen J.H. 1 1 Department of Nephrology, Aalborg Hospital, Aarhus University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark, 2 Department of Nephrology, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark, 3 Department of Nephrology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark, 4 Department of Nephrology, Fredericia Hospital, Fredericia, Denmark, 5 Department of Nephrology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark Conclusions A significant positive correlation between the extent of AoAC and AAC evaluated by x-ray was found. The presence of AoAC was highly predictive of AAC. Assessment of AoAC on plain chest x-ray can provide valuable initial data on calcification and may have have a role in risk stratification. Further evaluation is required. Chest x-ray showing calcification of the aortic arch. * sectors with calcification. The AoAC score is obtained by dividing sectors with calcification by total number of sectors. Lateral abdominal x-ray showing calcification of the abdominal aorta. Introduction • Vascular calcification is increasingly accepted as a major cause of the extraordinarily high rates of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in patients on renal replacement therapy (RRT) • Abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) on lateral abdominal x-ray and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) are independent predictors of mortality and non-fatal CV events in patients on RRT • • Guidelines suggest that a lateral abdominal x-ray can be used to detect the presence or absence of vascular calcification for the purpose of risk stratification and management guidance Results • AoAC was significantly positively correlated with AAC (r=0.70, p<0.001) and PWV (r=0.35, p<0.001) • The positive- and negative predictive values of AoAC with respect to AAC were 98% and 32%, respectively. (Using AoAC > 0 as cutoff) Objective To assess whether aortic arch calcification (AoAC) on plain chest x-ray correlates with AAC and PWV, the latter being established markers of vascular calcification. Methods • AAC, AoAC and PWV were measured in 88 patients on RRT • Inclusion criteria: >18 years og age, > 3 months of RRT therapy