[Mitral annular calcifications in patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy: an echocardiographic study].

From the echocardiographic files of 1,231 patients, eight revealed mitral annular calcification (MAC), in whom four had hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM). In the remaining four patients without HOCM, whose ages ranged from 69 to 80 years with a mean of 73 years, an additional calcification was observed in the either aorta or aortic valve. Therefore, MAC was thought to be a part of the aging process. Of the four patients with HOCM two were females (71 and 78 years, respectively) and two were males (50 and 51 years, respectively). The latter two younger male patients had MAC without another calcific lesion, and the cause of MAC was suspected as the pressure and/or mechanical strain on the mitral orifice due to excessive movements of either the chordae tendineae or papillary muscle.