title: Traditional risk factors and coronary artery calcium in young adults.
abstract: METHODS
  362 symptomatic subjects of 45 years of age or younger were selected from a large database of around 4100 persons who underwent coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring by means of a 64-multidetector computed tomography (MDCT). Amongst them, a group with the CAC > 0 Agatston units (n = 65) and a group with no detectable calcium (CAC = 0, n = 297) were compared in terms of risk factors presence. Risk factors considered were gender, body mass index, smoking habits, blood pressure level, blood lipids, presence of diabetes mellitus, family history of cardiovascular disease, and physical activity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The vast majority of subjects with a positive CAC were males (54, 83.1%) compared to those with a negative CAC (147, 49.5%, p < 0.001, χ2). More frequent results of CAC < 0 were observed in obese subjects (38.5% vs. 24.2%, p < 0.05), among smokers (41.5% vs. 27.6%, p < 0.05). Presence of arterial hypertension coexisted with a more frequent CAC > 0 (76.9% vs. 60.6%, p < 0.05). Also, the frequency of a positive CAC was significantly higher in patients with diabetes mellitus (10.8%), compared to those without diabetes mellitus (4.0%, p < 0.05). Effects of high lipids, family history, and physical activity were not observed. Accumulation of at least 4 risk factors was associated with more frequent positive CAC (26.0 vs. 15.9%, p < 0.05). Multivariate regression analysis showed that only male gender and presence of diabetes mellitus were independent predictors of a positive CAC in younger subjects (F = 5.06, p < 0.001, multiple R = 0.321).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Traditional risk factors, apart from gender and diabetes mellitus, do not seem to allow for distinguishing young persons with a premature coronary atherosclerosis. Therefore, CAC scoring might be considered justified in symptomatic young men with diabetes mellitus.
authors: Unit of Noninvasive Cardiovascular Diagnostics, 3rd Chair of Cardiology, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland. maciej.sosnowski@gmail.com
authors: Maciej
authors: M
authors: Sosnowski
authors: Zofia
authors: Z
authors: Parma
authors: Agata
authors: A
authors: Czekaj
authors: Michał
authors: M
authors: Tendera
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015897:Comorbidity; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061330:Multidetector Computed Tomography; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D061205:Vascular Calcification / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*