Conventional coronary artery disease risk factors and coronary artery calcium detected by electron beam tomography in 30,908 healthy individuals.
OBJECTIVE
Electron beam tomography (EBT) is a noninvasive measure of coronary artery calcium (CAC), a marker for atherosclerosis. In this study we examined the association between conventional risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD) and CAC.


METHODS
EBT CAC screening was performed on 30,908 asymptomatic individuals aged 30 to 90 years. Prior to EBT screening, individuals provided demographic and CAD risk factor information. EBT utilized a C-100 EBT scanner, and the amount of CAC was determined using the Agatston scoring method.


RESULTS
The results of this study demonstrate that for both men and women, all conventional risk factors were significantly associated with the presence of any detectable CAC, and the mean CAC score increased in proportion to the number of CAD risk factors. In age-adjusted (multivariable) logistic regression analysis, cigarette use, histories of hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, and hypertension were each significantly associated with mild to extensive CAC scores (> or =10.0).


CONCLUSIONS
CAD risk factors are associated with higher atherosclerotic plaque burden in both men and women. The odds ratios associated with each risk factor relative to the extent of CAC are similar to those reported for the development of clinical CAD, suggesting the existence of an association between CAC (subclinical disease) and CAD (clinical disease).
Hoff
Julie Anne
JA
Department of Medicine, Section of Cardiology, University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, 60612, USA. jahoff@uic.edu
Daviglus
Martha L
ML
Chomka
Eva V
EV
Krainik
Andrew J
AJ
Sevrukov
Alexander
A
Kondos
George T
GT
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D002118:Calcium / Q000032:analysis*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000209:etiology*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D015415:Biomarkers; D002118:Calcium