Relationship between coronary endothelial function and coronary calcification in early atherosclerosis.
BACKGROUND
The relationship between coronary endothelial function and coronary calcification is not well established.


METHODS
Forty-six patients 17 men [37%]; age, 47.4+/-11.4 years prospectively underwent testing for coronary endothelial function and measurement of coronary artery calcification (CAC).


RESULTS
Log CAC scores were not significantly different between patients with normal (n=31) and abnormal (n=15) response of epicardial coronary artery diameter to acetylcholine (%CAD(Ach)) (median (25, 75 percentile) 1.1 (0.0, 3.7) vs. 0.3 (0.0, 2.4), P=.32) and with normal (n=28) and abnormal (n=18) response of coronary blood flow to acetylcholine (%CBF(Ach)) (0.5 (0.0, 3.6) vs. 0.5 (0.0, 3.2), P=.76). Log CAC scores did not correlate with %CAD(Ach) (r=0.08, P=.59), %CBF(Ach) (r=0.14, P=.35).


CONCLUSIONS
In patients without significant coronary artery disease, coronary endothelial dysfunction showed no apparent association with coronary calcification. Our findings suggest that these 2 markers may represent separate, independent processes in the progression of coronary atherosclerosis.
Han
Seung Hwan
SH
Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
Gerber
Thomas C
TC
Suwaidi
Jassim Al
JA
Eeckhout
Eric
E
Lennon
Ryan
R
Rubinshtein
Ronen
R
Lerman
Amir
A
D000328:Adult; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged