THE ROLE OF CALCIFICATION IN THE PATHOGENESIS OF INFLAMMATORY REACTION IN THE ARTERIAL WALL (Exemplified by the Vessels of the Neck and Head in Adults)
Calcification provoked by inflammation accompanies many comorbid conditions (including atherosclerosis and fibromuscular dysplasia). What is more, they mutually aggravate each other. The aim of this study was to reveal the patterns of calcification of the arteries of the neck and head in patients with clinical manifestations of vascular disorders of varying severity in inflammatory and noninflammatory diseases. Materials and methods. A total of 155 patients were examined (mean age 49.1 ± 16.3 years) using computed tomography. The subjects were divided into three groups according to the severity of functional changes in the arterial bed: 1) no vascular obstruction (n = 43); 2) arterial obstruction ≤ 50 % according to NASCET criteria (n = 55); 3) arterial obstruction > 50 % (n = 57). A visual analysis of atherosclerotic lesions of the vessels of the neck and head revealed that the calcification was a dystrophic type of intimal lesion in almost half of the cases (44 %). A visual analysis of stenosis caused by fibromuscular dysplasia showed that calcium deposition is not typical of this process. The absence of calcium phosphate deposition in this case was associated with genetic connective tissue abnormalities. Results. We created a flowchart representing the pathogenesis of artery wall calcification in chronic inflammation. In addition, we revealed previously not described in the literature links between the processes of osteoporosis, progression of biomineralization of atherosclerotic plaques, and decalcification of plaques, which allowed us to indirectly assess their degree of maturation. The results of the study indicate that artery calcification could be considered as a possible marker of the progression of atherosclerosis.