title: Population-based assessment of subclinical coronary atherosclerosis using electron-beam computed tomography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Coronary artery calcification (CAC) is determined as a measure of the extent of coronary atherosclerosis and can be used for expanded cardiovascular risk stratification. It was our aim to establish reference CAC scores in a population-based unselected European cohort.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Heinz Nixdorf Recall study (HNR) recruited a total of 4814 participants aged 45-74 years. Cardiovascular risk factors and medications were recorded, and CAC was measured using electron-beam CT (EBCT). CAC score distribution was compared with previous studies in subjects who were self-referred, volunteered, or were physician-referred. Of the 4472 (92.9%) subjects free of clinical coronary artery disease, the CAC score was available in 4275 (95.3%) (2027 men, 2248 women). CAC scores were lower in particular in the higher age groups (> or = 60 years) in men than in the previous studies. Also, in most age groups (except the highest, 70-74 years), subjects with no cardiovascular medications had significantly lower CAC scores than subjects using cardiovascular medications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The current report characterises the distribution of EBCT-derived CAC scores in a European unselected population. Compared with previous reports, CAC scores were lower in our cohort, in particular in subjects not receiving cardiovascular medications. Classification of the CAC score may underestimate true risk if previously published referral cohorts are used as the reference.
authors: Cardioangiologisches Centrum, Bethanien, Im Prüfling 23, D-60389 Frankfurt am Main, Germany. a.schmermund@ccb.de
authors: Axel
authors: A
authors: Schmermund
authors: Stefan
authors: S
authors: Möhlenkamp
authors: Sina
authors: S
authors: Berenbein
authors: Heiko
authors: H
authors: Pump
authors: Susanne
authors: S
authors: Moebus
authors: Ulla
authors: U
authors: Roggenbuck
authors: Andreas
authors: A
authors: Stang
authors: Rainer
authors: R
authors: Seibel
authors: Dietrich
authors: D
authors: Grönemeyer
authors: Karl-Heinz
authors: KH
authors: Jöckel
authors: Raimund
authors: R
authors: Erbel
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed