Relation of level of total serum cholesterol to amount of calcific deposits in operatively excised stenotic mitral valves: Analysis of 155 cases

Abstract This report analyzes 155 patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis in whom the Operatively excised mitral valve was x-rayed to determine the presence of and extent of calcific deposits and the preoperative level of total serum cholesterol (TC). The amount of mitral calcium was graded 0 to 4+ and the average TC for each of the 5 groups was: 0 deposits—21 patients (14%) (TC = 188 mg/dl); 1+—50 patients (32%) (TC = 196 mg/dl);2+—22 patients (14%) (TC = 198 mg/dl);3+—37 patients (24%) (TC = 205 mg/dl), and 4+—25 patients (16% ) (TC = 184 mg/dl). These average values of TC and the mean ages of the patients in each of the 5 groups of mitral calcium were not significantly different.