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

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.