title: Computed tomography coronary angiography plaque burden in patients with suspected coronary artery disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the relationship between established cardiovascular risk factors, clinical presentation and the extent of coronary artery disease (CAD), as described with computed tomography coronary angiography.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional study, we included 567 symptomatic individuals without a history of CAD who consecutively underwent 64-slice computed tomography coronary angiography for evaluation of suspected CAD. We analyzed the prevalence of CAD depending on sex, age, symptoms and risk factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 8542 segments were analyzed. No evidence of CAD was observed in 225 patients (40%), nonsignificant CAD in 221 patients (39%) and significant CAD (luminal narrowing >50%) in the remaining 121 patients (21%). CAD increased with advancing age, significantly above 50 years (P < 0.05). Female patients had a higher prevalence of normal coronary arteries and males of significant CAD (P < 0.01). With the increase of risk factors, there was a significant increase of the significant disease (P < 0.01). Typical pain with respect to atypical pain had the strongest association with significant CAD (16 vs. 38%; P < 0.05). In multivariate analysis, the number of risk factors, age, male sex and typical pain remained strong predictors of significant CAD (P < 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Computed tomography coronary angiography may play an important role in risk stratification of patients with suspected CAD.
authors: Department of Radiology and Cardiology, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria, Parma, Italy.
authors: Erica
authors: E
authors: Maffei
authors: Sara
authors: S
authors: Seitun
authors: Matteo
authors: M
authors: Romano
authors: Alessandro A
authors: AA
authors: Palumbo
authors: Chiara
authors: C
authors: Martini
authors: Giuseppe
authors: G
authors: Tarantini
authors: Carlo
authors: C
authors: Tedeschi
authors: Annick C
authors: AC
authors: Weustink
authors: Nico R
authors: NR
authors: Mollet
authors: Teresa
authors: T
authors: Arcadi
authors: Ignazio
authors: I
authors: Salamone
authors: Alfredo
authors: A
authors: Blandino
authors: Ludovico
authors: L
authors: La Grutta
authors: Massimo
authors: M
authors: Midiri
authors: Filippo
authors: F
authors: Cademartiri
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed