Correlation Between Mammography Detected Breast Arterial Calcifications and Lifestyle Risk Factors

The aim of the study was to investigate the association between some lifestyle-attributable risk factors of atherosclerosis, such as body mass index (BMI), oral contraceptives, hormone replacement therapy, smoking and alcohol consumption with breast arterial calcification (BAC) and its intensity on mammograms, and to assess the impact of these lifestyle risk factors on mammography findings of BAC. This prospective study included 300 women aged 47-69, i.e. a group of 149 women with BAC on mammograms and control group of 151 women without BAC. Self-reported BMI, use of oral contraceptives, hormone replacement therapy, smoking and alcohol consumption were recorded by medical interview. The presence of BAC and its intensity on mammography was compared according to the presence of high BMI and use of hormone therapy, smoking and alcohol consumption. The results showed the highest proportion of smokers (28.9%) in the group with mild BAC as compared with the groups without calcification (14.6%) and with intense calcification (12.1%). Women taking oral contraceptives had a higher level of calcified breast arteries but no significant between-group difference was found for high BMI, hormone therapy and alcohol consumption. Thus, study results showed the mammographic finding of BAC to be inadequate to identify women with some lifestyle-attributable risk factors such as BMI, hormone replacement therapy, smoking and alcohol consumption