Calcification of the arterial wall

In an attempt to clarify the role of risk factors in the development of arterial calcification in the aged, correlations between the aortic calcification and risk factors such as age, sex, degree of osteoporosis, hypertension, glucose tolerance, Ht, serum cholesterol and triglyceride were obtained by using analysis of variance.It was found that the correlation between the degree of osteoporosis and the aortic calcification was most prominent and the correlation coefficient between these two parameters was largest. These results demonstrate the intimate correlation between the aortic calcification and osteoporosis in the aged and further suggest the possibility that Ca is transferred from bone to the aorta with age.In order to prove the possible transfer of Ca from bone to the aorta with age, Ca45 content in the aorta before and after the administration of dihydrotachysterol was measured in rats, in which the whole skeleton was previously labelled with Ca45. Administration of dihydrotachysterol has been shown to develop an osteoporosis and aortic calcification in rats and it is considered as a model of premature aging. It was found that the aorta of rats treated with dihydrotachysterol contained substantial amount of Ca45, thus demonstrating the transfer of Ca45 from bone to the aorta.It is possible that with age Ca is transferred from the bone to the aorta.