title: [Assessment of coronary artery calcium scoring].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Calcium accumulation in the coronary arteries is a known indicator of atherosclerosis. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the effect of patients' demographic characteristics on calcium scoring and the topographic accumulation of calcium in the coronary arteries.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two-hundred ninety-nine patients were included in the study (192 male, 107 female; mean age 59.08±10.7; range 19 to 84 years). All patients with total calcium scores of 1 Hounsfield unit or more underwent 16-slice multi-detector computed tomography with calcium scoring evaluation. Their coronary trees were divided into 14 different segments, and the number of lesions in each segment was calculated separately.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When the coronary arteries were examined for calcium accumulation by segment, the proximal segment of the LAD (left anterior descending coronary artery) had the most calcium accumulation. Total calcium scores were higher in patients with high total and LDL cholesterol values than in normolipidemic patients. Total calcium scores were higher for patients with hypertension than for patients without hypertension. Calcium scores of smokers and non-smokers were not significantly different. Diabetic patients had higher calcium scores than patients without diabetes. No significant difference was identified between patients with and without a positive family history of coronary artery disease. Total calcium scores were higher for older patients and for patients with hyperlipidemia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Segmental analysis of calcium scoring demonstrates that calcium accumulation is mostly seen in the proximal LAD. Coronary artery calcification is increased by hypertension, age and hyperlipidemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Florence Nightingale Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey. demeterciyes@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Demet
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Erciyes
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sener
authors.forename: Cihan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Duran
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sirvancı
authors.forename: Cemşit
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Demiroğlu
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gülbaran
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000150:complications; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D061205:Vascular Calcification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult