Women with coronary heart disease (CHD) have higher mortality compared with men. Atherosclerotic imaging risk markers are associated with higher mortality and relative risk of CHD events in women ...compared with men. However, data on the predictive accuracy of coronary artery calcium (CAC) in women are scarce. We performed a systematic review of the published literature from 2003 to 2006 on the prognostic value of CAC in women and men. Two investigators reviewed Medline for prospective registries on annual rates of CHD death or myocardial infarction (MI) by CAC results. Three studies in 6,481 women and 13,697 men reported results by gender. We also analyzed 2 observational registries for annual all-cause death rates by CAC scores in women (n = 17,779) and men (n = 17,850). Summary relative risk ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using a random effects model. For all-cause mortality, rates were 0.1% to 1.6% per year for women and 0.1% to 2.6% for men with CAC scores from 0 to 10 to ≥1,000, respectively (p <0.0001). For CHD death or MI, annual rates were 0.2% to 1.3% in women and 0.3% to 2.4% for men with low- to high-risk CAC scores. For women with a CAC score of 0, annual CHD death or MI rates were 0.16%, similar to that of men (p = 0.55). Summary relative risk ratios increased 4.9-fold (p = 0.006), 5.5-fold (p = 0.002), and 8.7-fold (p <0.0001) for mild-, moderate-, and high-risk CAC scores, respectively. A comparative analysis of gender differences showed no significant differences between women and men for mild- to high-risk CAC scores (p = 0.66), suggesting an equivalent ability to risk stratify by gender. In conclusion, this meta- and pooled analysis revealed that CAC screening is equally accurate in stratifying risk in women and men.
Objectives The purpose of this study was to compare the association of the Framingham risk score (FRS) and Reynolds risk score (RRS) with subclinical atherosclerosis, assessed by incidence and ...progression of coronary artery calcium (CAC). Background The comparative effectiveness of competing risk algorithms for identifying subclinical atherosclerosis is unknown. Methods MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis) is a prospective cohort study of 6,814 participants free of baseline cardiovascular disease. All participants underwent risk factor assessment, as well as baseline and follow-up CAC testing. We assessed the performance of the FRS and RRS to predict CAC incidence and progression using relative risk and robust linear regression. Results The study population included 5,140 individuals (mean age 61 ± 10 years, 47% males, mean follow-up: 3.1 ± 1.3 years). Among 53% of subjects (n = 2,729) with no baseline CAC, 18% (n = 510) developed incident CAC. Both the FRS and RRS were significantly predictive of incident CAC (relative risk: 1.40 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.29 to 1.52 and 1.41 95% CI: 1.30 to 1.54 per 5% increase in risk, respectively) and CAC progression (mean CAC score change: 6.92 95% CI: 5.31 to 8.54 and 6.82 95% CI: 5.51 to 8.14 per 5% increase). Discordance in risk category classification (<10% or >10% per 10-year coronary heart disease risk) occurred in 13.7%, with only the RRS consistently adding predictive value for incidence and progression of CAC. These subclinical atherosclerosis findings are supported by a coronary heart disease events analysis over a mean follow-up of 5.6 ± 0.7 years. Conclusions Both the RRS and FRS predict onset and progression of subclinical atherosclerosis. However, the RRS may provide additional predictive information when discordance between the scoring systems exists.
Introduction Document Development Process Writing Committee Organization The Writing Committee was selected to represent the American College of Cardiology (ACC), American Society of Nuclear ...Cardiology (ASNC), Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI), Society of Atherosclerosis Imaging and Prevention (SAIP), and Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography (SCCT), and included a cardiovascular training program director, a cardiovascular computed tomography (CCT) training program director, an advanced-multimodality cardiovascular imaging training program director, an early-career cardiologist, highly experienced specialists practicing in both academic and community-based settings, and physicians experienced in defining and applying training standards according to the 6 general competency domains promulgated by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), and endorsed by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM). At the conclusion of training, all fellows should be familiar with CCT assessment of cardiovascular anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology and know the clinical application of CCT and the principles of CCT physics and radiation generation and exposure. Because many CCT studies require the administration of intravenous iodinated contrast, fellows should be familiar with the protocols for contrast administration and subsequent contrast kinetics, as well as the potential adverse events resulting from contrast exposure and appropriate treatment.
Abstract Objectives This study evaluated the association between atherosclerotic plaque characteristics (APCs) by coronary computed tomographic angiography (CTA), and lesion ischemia by fractional ...flow reserve (FFR). Background FFR is the gold standard for determining lesion ischemia. Although APCs by CTA—including aggregate plaque volume % (%APV), positive remodeling (PR), low attenuation plaque (LAP), and spotty calcification (SC)—are associated with future coronary syndromes, their relationship to lesion ischemia is unclear. Methods 252 patients (17 centers, 5 countries; mean age 63 years; 71% males) underwent coronary CTA, with FFR performed for 407 coronary lesions. Coronary CTA was interpreted for <50% and ≥50% stenosis, with the latter considered obstructive. APCs by coronary CTA were defined as: 1) PR, lesion diameter/reference diameter >1.10; 2) LAP, any voxel <30 Hounsfield units; and 3) SC, nodular calcified plaque <3 mm. Odds ratios (OR) and net reclassification improvement of APCs for lesion ischemia, defined by FFR ≤0.8, were analyzed. Results By FFR, ischemia was present in 151 lesions (37%). %APV was associated with a 50% increased risk of ischemia per 5% additional APV. PR, LAP, and SC were associated with ischemia, with a 3 to 5 times higher prevalence than in nonischemic lesions. In multivariable analyses, a stepwise increased risk of ischemia was observed for 1 (OR: 4.0, p < 0.001) and ≥2 (OR: 12.1, p < 0.001) APCs. These findings were APC dependent, with PR (OR: 5.3, p < 0.001) and LAP (OR: 2.1, p = 0.038) associated with ischemia, but not SC. When examined by stenosis severity, PR remained a predictor of ischemia for all lesions, whereas %APV and LAP were associated with ischemia for only ≥50%, but not for <50%, stenosis. Conclusions %APV and APCs by coronary CTA improve identification of coronary lesions that cause ischemia. PR is associated with all ischemia-causing lesions, whereas %APV and LAP are only associated with ischemia-causing lesions ≥50%. (Determination of Fractional Flow Reserve by Anatomic Computed Tomographic Angiography; NCT01233518 )
Aortic valve calcium (AVC) is common among older adults and shares epidemiologic and histopathologic similarities to atherosclerosis. However, prospective studies have failed to identify meaningful ...risk associations with incident (“new”) AVC or its progression. In the present study, AVC was quantified from serial computed tomographic images from 5,880 participants (aged 45 to 84 years) in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis, using the Agatston method. Multivariate backward selection modeling was used to identify the risk factors for incident AVC and AVC progression. During a mean follow-up of 2.4 ± 0.9 years, 210 subjects (4.1%) developed incident AVC. The incidence rate (mean 1.7%/year) increased significantly with age (p <0.001). The risk factors for incident AVC included age, male gender, body mass index, current smoking, and the use of lipid-lowering and antihypertensive medications. Among those with AVC at baseline, the median rate of AVC progression was 2 Agatston units/year (interquartile range −21 to 37). The baseline Agatston score was a strong, independent predictor of progression, especially among those with high calcium scores at baseline. In conclusion, in this ethnically diverse, preclinical cohort, the rate of incident AVC increased significantly with age. The incident AVC risk was associated with several traditional cardiovascular risk factors, specifically age, male gender, body mass index, current smoking, and the use of both antihypertensive and lipid-lowering medications. AVC progression risk was associated with male gender and the baseline Agatston score. Additional research is needed to determine whether age- and stage-specific mechanisms underlie the risk of AVC progression.
Background The aim of this article is to determine the relationships between aortic wall calcification (AWC) including ascending and descending thoracic aortic calcification and sex, race/ethnicity, ...age, and traditional risk factors. Allison et al ( Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol . 2004;24:331-336) previously described the relationship of noted risk factors and AWC as detected by computed tomography (CT) in smaller cohorts. We performed a cross–sectional study to determine which of these variables are independently associated with thoracic calcium. Methods The MESA population included a population-based sample of 4 ethnic groups (12% Chinese, 38% white, 22% Hispanic, and 28% black) of 6814 women and men aged 45 to 84 years. Computed tomographic scans were performed for all participants. We quantified AWC, which ranged from the lower edge of the pulmonary artery bifurcation to the cardiac apex. Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate relationships between AWC and measured cardiovascular risk factors. Results Overall prevalence of AWC was 28.0%. In the ethnic groups, prevalence of AWC was 32.4% Chinese, 32.4% white, 24.9% Hispanic, and 22.4% black. All age categories of females had a higher prevalence of thoracic calcification than males (total age prevalence 29.1% and 26.8%, respectively). Aortic wall calcifications were most strongly associated with hypertension and current smoking. In addition, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, high level of low-density lipoprotein, low level of high-density lipoprotein, family history of myocardial infarction , and high C-reactive protein were all associated with increased AWC. Overall P value for difference between sexes for prevalence of AWC is 0.037. Overall P value for difference between race for prevalence of AWC is <.001. The only significant sex differences distributed by race were for Chinese ( P = .035) and Hispanic ( P = .042) participants. Conclusions Risk factors for aortic calcification were similar to cardiovascular risk factors in a large population-based cohort. Surprisingly, AWC was similar for the Chinese and white populations despite the fact that MESA demonstrated that coronary calcium was more prevalent in the white population. Further studies are needed to investigate whether aortic calcification is a risk factor for coronary disease, independent of coronary calcification.
Background Significant cardiovascular morbidity has been associated with mitral annulus calcification (MAC), but limited data exist regarding its progression. The purpose of this study was to examine ...the natural history of and risk factors for MAC progression. Methods The MESA is a longitudinal cohort study of participants aged 45 to 84 years without clinical cardiovascular disease who underwent serial cardiac computed tomography studies with quantification of MAC. Regression models were used to identify risk factors associated with MAC incidence and progression. Results Prevalent MAC was observed in 534 (9%) of 5,895 participants. Over a median 2.3 years, 280 (5%) developed incident MAC. After adjustment, age was the strongest predictor of incident MAC (adjusted OR, 2.25 per 10 years; 95% CI, 1.97-2.58; P < .0001). Female gender, white ethnicity, body mass index, diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, serum cholesterol, smoking, and interleukin-6 were also significant predictors of incident MAC. In participants with prevalent MAC, the median rate of change was 10.1 IQR, − 6.7 to 60.7 Agatston units (AU)/year. Baseline MAC severity was the predominant predictor of rate of MAC progression (β-coefficient per 10 AU, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.85-0.91; P < .0001), although ethnicity and smoking status possessed modest influence. Conclusions Several cardiovascular risk factors predicted incident MAC, as did female gender. Severity of baseline MAC was the primary predictor of MAC progression, suggesting that, while atherosclerotic processes may initiate MAC, they are only modestly associated with its progression over these time frames.
Background Elevated coronary artery calcium (CAC) is a marker for increase risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). Although most CHD events occur among individuals with advanced CAC, CHD can also occur ...in individuals with little or no calcified plaque. In this study, we sought to evaluate the characteristics associated with incident CHD events in the setting of minimal (score ≤10) or absent CAC (score of zero). Methods Asymptomatic participants in the MESA (N = 6,809) were followed for occurrence of all CHD events (including myocardial infarction, angina, resuscitated cardiac arrest, or CHD death) and hard CHD events (myocardial infarction or CHD death). Time to incident CHD was modeled using age-and gender-adjusted Cox regression. Results The final study population consisted of 3,923 MESA asymptomatic participants (mean age 58 ± 9 years, 39% males) who had CAC scores of 0 to 10. Overall, no detectable CAC was seen in 3415 individuals, whereas 508 had CAC scores of 1 to 10. During follow-up (median 4.1 years), there were 16 incident hard events and 28 all CHD events in individuals with absent or minimal CAC. In age-, gender-, race-, and CHD risk factor-adjusted analysis, minimal CAC (1-10) was associated with an estimated 3-fold greater risk of a hard CHD event (HR 3.23, 95% CI 1.17-8.95) or of all CHD event (HR 3.66, 95% CI 1.71-7.85) compared to those with CAC = 0. Former smoking (HR 3.57, 95% CI 1.08-11.77), current smoking (HR 4.93, 95% CI 1.20-20.30), and diabetes (HR 3.09, 95% CI 1.07-8.93) were significant risk factors for events in those with CAC = 0. Conclusion Asymptomatic persons with absent or minimal CAC are at very low risk of future cardiovascular events. Individuals with minimal CAC (1-10) were significantly increased to 3-fold increased risk for incident CHD events relative to those with CAC scores of zero.
Abstract Background The transition from no coronary artery calcium (CAC) to detectable CAC is important, as even mild CAC is associated with increased cardiovascular events. We sought to characterize ...the anatomic distribution and burden of newly detectable CAC over 10-year follow-up. Methods We evaluated 3112 participants (mean age, 58 years; 64% female) with baseline CAC = 0 from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Participants underwent repeat CAC testing at different time intervals (between 2–10 years after baseline) per the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis protocol. Among participants who developed CAC on a follow-up scan, we used logistic regression and marginal probability modeling to describe the coronary distribution and burden of new CAC by age, sex, and race after adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors and time to detection. Results A total of 1125 participants developed detectable CAC during follow-up with a mean time to detection of 6.1 ± 3 years. New CAC was most commonly isolated to 1 vessel (72% of participants), with the left anterior descending artery (44% of total) most commonly affected followed by the right coronary (12%), left circumflex (10%), and left main (6%). These patterns were similar across age, sex, and race. In multivariate models, residual predictors of multivessel CAC (28% of total) included male sex, African American or Hispanic race, hypertension, obesity, and diabetes. At the first detection of CAC >0, burden was usually low with median Agatston CAC score of 7.1 and <5% with CAC scores >100. Conclusion New-onset CAC most commonly involves just 1 vessel, occurs in the left anterior descending artery, and has low CAC burden. New CAC can be detected at an early stage when aggressive preventive strategies may provide benefit.
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