Low correlation between biometric parameters, cardiovascular risk factors and aortic dimensions by computed tomography coronary angiography

To analyze the relationship between aortic measures and biometric parameters in a large cohort of consecutive patients undergoing computed tomography coronary angiography. 1170 patients (717 men/453 women) performing computed tomography coronary angiography for coronary evaluation were retrospectively evaluated. Aortic diameters and areas were measured at reproducible anatomic landmarks, perpendicular to the axis of vessel, at the level of the aortic root (AoR), the sinotubular junction (STJ), and the tubular ascending aorta (TAo). Biometric parameters and cardiovascular risk factors were recorded. The average values of AoR, STJ, and TAo were 35.63 ± 5.00 mm, 30.56 ± 4.82 mm, 35.07 ± 5.84 mm. Hypertension was significantly associated with aortic dimensions. Aortic measures were significantly different between men and women (37.56 ± 4.77 mm vs 32.58 ± 3.68 mm for AoR, 31.88 ± 4.84 mm vs 28.47 ± 3.98 mm for STJ and 35.93 ± 5.86 mm vs 33.70 ± 5.54 mm for TAo) (P < .001) and linearly increased with age. Low Spearman correlation coefficients were found and the correlation of TAo diameters with age displayed the highest values (ρ = 0.372 for male and ρ = 0.373 for female, P < .001). Multiple linear regression analysis models were compared by R(2). The best model used body surface area (BSA) and age as independent variables and TAo diameter as dependent variable (R(2) = 0.29 for AoR; R(2) = 0.21 for STJ, and R(2) = 0.20 for TAo). In conclusion, in our population low correlation between aortic dimensions and biometric parameters highlights the difficulty of identifying normal ranges, as well as issues related to normalization using conventional biometric parameters.