Objective: To examine the relationship between urolithiasis and calcification of the aortic artery.
Material and methods: We examined the relationship between urolithiasis and calcification of the aortic artery in 181 patients with urinary calcium stones (stone group) and in 181 without a history of urolithiasis (control group). All patients underwent abdominal CT to score the degree of calcification at the aortic arterial wall, as follows: 0, none; 1, <120 degrees calcification; 2, > or =120 degrees to <240 degrees calcification; and 3, > or =240 degrees calcification. Both the stone and control groups were further classified into three groups each according to gender and age.
Results: Aortic calcification scores differed significantly between the stone and control groups in males aged > or =20-<40 years (0.43+/-0.50 vs 0.13+/-0.35, respectively) and in females aged > or =60 years (1.81+/-0.74 vs 1.44+/-0.64, respectively).
Conclusion: These findings suggest that common causative factors are associated with urolithiasis and arteriosclerosis and that adult males with arteriosclerosis develop urolithiasis more easily than those without.