Inverse relationship between body mass index and coronary artery calcification in patients with clinically significant coronary lesions.
OBJECTIVE
Mounting data support a 'calcification paradox', whereby reduced bone mineral density is associated with increased vascular calcification. Furthermore, reduced bone mineral density is prevalent in older persons with lower body mass index (BMI). Therefore, although BMI and coronary artery calcification (CAC) exhibit a positive relationship in younger persons, it is predicted that in older persons and/or those at risk for osteoporosis, an inverse relationship between BMI and CAC may apply. We sought to explore this hypothesis in a large group of patients with coronary artery disease undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).


RESULTS
We accessed our single-center registry for 07/01/1999 to 06/30/2009, extracting data on all patients that underwent PCI. To minimize bias we excluded those at the extremes of age or BMI and non-Black/Hispanic/Caucasians, leaving 9993 study subjects (age 66.6±9.9 years). Index lesion calcification (ILC) was analyzed with respect to BMI. Comparing index lesions with no angiographic calcification to those with the most severe, mean BMI decreased by 1.11 kgm(-2); a reduction of 3.9% (P<0.0001). By multivariable modeling, BMI was an independent inverse predictor of moderate-severe ILC (m-sILC; odds ratio [OR] 0.967, 95% CI 0.953-0.980, P<0.0001). Additional fully adjusted models identified that, compared to those with normal BMI, obese patients had an OR of 0.702 for m-sILC (95% CI 0.596-0.827, P<0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
In a large group of PCI patients, we identified an inverse correlation between BMI and index lesion calcification. These associations are consistent with established paradigms and suggest a complex interrelationship between BMI, body size and vascular calcification.
The Zena and Michael A. Wiener Cardiovascular Institute, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States. jason.kovacic@mountsinai.org
Jason C
JC
Kovacic
Paul
P
Lee
Usman
U
Baber
Rucha
R
Karajgikar
Solene M
SM
Evrard
Pedro
P
Moreno
Roxana
R
Mehran
Valentin
V
Fuster
George
G
Dangas
Samin K
SK
Sharma
Annapoorna S
AS
Kini
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D023921:Coronary Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009519:New York City / Q000453:epidemiology; D009765:Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D061205:Vascular Calcification / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy