DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS AND COMORBIDITY BURDEN IN PATIENTS WITH VERTEBROBASILAR ARTERY CALCIFICATION

European Congress of DentoMaxilloFacial Radiology, Iasi, Romanya, 25 - 27 Haziran 2026, ss.125, (Özet Bildiri)

Aim: To compare demographic characteristics and concomitant comorbidities between patients

with vertebrobasilar artery calcification (VBAC) detected on cone-beam computed tomography

(CBCT) and a control group, and to evaluate overall comorbidity burden.

Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included 120 patients with VBAC and 120

control subjects. VBAC status was determined on CBCT examinations. Age was compared using

the Mann–Whitney U test. Sex distribution and prevalences of individual comorbidities were

analyzed using the chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test, as appropriate. Overall comorbidity

burden was defined as the number of comorbid conditions per patient. A two-sided p value <0.05

was considered statistically significant.

Results: Age did not differ between groups (Control: 66.85±8.17 years; VBAC: 67.18±8.68

years; p>0.05). Sex distribution was similar (Control: 60 females [50.0%], 60 males [50.0%];

VBAC: 57 females [47.5%], 63 males [52.5%]; p>0.05). Hypertension was more prevalent in

the VBAC group (29/120 [24.2%] vs. 52/120 [43.3%]; p<0.05). The number of comorbidities

per patient was higher in the VBAC group (p<0.05). No statistically significant differences were

observed for other individual comorbidities (all p>0.05).

Conclusion: Patients with VBAC identified on CBCT show comparable age and sex

distributions to controls but demonstrate a higher comorbidity burden and a greater prevalence

of hypertension, supporting an association between VBAC and an adverse vascular risk profile.