Original Research
Atherosclerosis in Ancient and Modern Egyptians:The Horus Study
Authors:
Adel H. Allam ,
Al-Azhar University, Cairo, EG
Mohamed A. Mandour Ali,
Al-Azhar University, Cairo, EG
L. Samuel Wann,
Cardiovascular Physicians, Columbia St. Mary's Healthcare, Milwaukee, WI, US
Randall C. Thompson,
Saint Luke's Mid-America Heart Institute, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, US
M. Linda Sutherland,
Newport Diagnostic Center, Newport Beach, CA, US
James D. Sutherland,
Saddleback Memorial Medical Center, Laguna Hills, CA, US
Bruno Frohlich,
National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, US
David E. Michalik,
Miller Children's Hospital of Long Beach, Long Beach, CA, US
Albert Zink,
Institute for Mummies and the Iceman, European Academy of Bolzano/Bozen (EURAC), Bolzano/Bozen, IT
Guido P. Lombardi,
Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, PE
Lucia Watson,
Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico City, MX
Samantha L. Cox,
Department of Archeology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, GB
Caleb E. Finch,
Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, US
Michael I. Miyamoto,
Mission Heritage Medical Group, St. Joseph Heritage Health, Mission Viejo, CA, US
Sallam L. Sallam,
Alfa Scan Outpatient Radiology Center, Cairo, EG
Jagat Narula,
Zena and Michael A. Wiener Cardiovascular Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, US
Gregory S. Thomas
MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute, Long Beach Memorial, Long Beach, CA; University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA
Abstract
Background: Although atherosclerosis is usually thought of as a disease of modernity, the Horus Team has previously reported atherosclerotic vascular calcifications on computed tomographic (CT) scans in ancient Egyptians.
Objectives: The purpose of this study was to compare patterns and demographic characteristics of this disease among Egyptians from ancient and modern eras.
Methods: We compared the presence and extent of vascular calcifications from whole-body CT scans performed on 178 modern Egyptians from Cairo undergoing positron emission tomography (PET)/CT for cancer staging to CT scans of 76 Egyptian mummies (3100 BCE to 364 CE).
Results: The mean age of the modern Egyptian group was 52.3 15 years (range 14 to 84) versus estimated age at death of ancient Egyptian mummies 36.5 13 years (range 4 to 60); p < 0.0001. Vascular calcification was detected in 108 of 178 (60.7%) of modern patients versus 26 of 76 (38.2%) of mummies, p < 0.001. Vascular calcifications on CT strongly correlated to age in both groups. In addition, the severity of disease by number of involved arterial beds also correlated to age, and there was a very similar pattern between the 2 groups. Calcifications in both modern and ancient Egyptians were seen peripherally in aortoiliac beds almost a decade earlier than in event-related beds (coronary and carotid).
Conclusions: The presence and severity of atherosclerotic vascular disease correlates strongly to age in both ancient and modern Egyptians. There is a striking correlation in the distribution of the number of vascular beds involved. Atherosclerotic calcifications are seen in the aortoiliac beds almost a decade earlier than in the coronary and carotid beds.
How to Cite:
Allam AH, Mandour Ali MA, Wann LS, Thompson RC, Sutherland ML, Sutherland JD, et al.. Atherosclerosis in Ancient and Modern Egyptians:The Horus Study. Global Heart. 2014;9(2):197–202. DOI: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.gheart.2014.03.2454
Published on
01 Jun 2014.
Peer Reviewed
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