Prevalence of carotid artery calcification on panoramic radiographs in patients with renal stones

Abstract

Aim: To determine the prevalence of carotid artery calcification (CAC) detected in routine dental radiography (PRs) in patients with kidney stones (KSs) and to investigate the relationship between CAC-atherosclerosis and KSs. Materials and methods: A total of 108 patients with renal stones were included in the present study. A history of renal colic, with confirmed hematuria and voiding of the calculus, radiographic evidence of KSs, or previous surgical and endoscopic removal of KSs, was used to define the nephrolithiasis. KS patients were evaluated by PR in terms of the presence of CAC. Subjects with either unilateral or bilateral CAC on these radiographs were identified. Results: Of the 108 patients included in the data analysis, 18 (16.6%) were detected as having CAC upon PR; of these, there were 8 males (11.5% of all males) and 10 females (25.6% of all females) (P > 0.05). There was no significant difference between the patients with CAC and the patients without CAC in any aspect of biochemical parameters, and also in the history of predisposing factors (P > 0.05). The CAC prevalence (16.6%) was significantly higher in patients with KSs when compared to the normal population (5.06%) in our previous study (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Our study shows that CAC is significantly higher in patients with KSs when compared to the normal population. This study may draw the attention of clinicians to the fact that patients with KSs should be evaluated further for atherosclerosis and treated for vascular risk factors.