title: Coronary calcification among 3477 asymptomatic and symptomatic individuals.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Coronary artery calcification (CAC) can be detected by cardiac computed tomography (CT), is associated to cardiovascular risk, and common in asymptomatic individuals and patients referred for cardiac CT.
  
  
  METHODS
  CAC was evaluated in asymptomatic individuals and symptomatic patients referred for cardiac CT, to assess whether differences in CAC may be explained by symptoms or traditional cardiovascular risk factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  The presence and extent of CAC, gender, family history of coronary artery disease, hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, diabetes and tobacco were compared in 1220 asymptomatic individuals aged 49-61 years and 2257 age-matched symptomatic patients referred for cardiac CT with suspected coronary artery disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Symptomatic individuals had a higher frequency of a family history of coronary artery disease (46% vs. 23%, p < 0.001), hypertension (38% vs. 21%, p < 0.001), hyperlipidaemia (42% vs. 12%, p < 0.001), a trend for more diabetes (6% vs. 5%, p = 0.05), but no significant difference was observed for the presence of CAC (Agatston > 0; 45% vs. 45%, p = 0.94) or severe calcifications (Agatston > 400; 6% vs. 5%, p = 0.36). In multivariate analyses age (odds ratio (OR) 1.09-1.18), male gender (OR 3.5-6.43), hypertension (OR 1.42-1.79), hyperlipidaemia (OR 1.86-2.09) and tobacco use (OR 1.83-2.01) were predictors for the presence and extent of CAC, whereas symptoms were not predictive for the presence of (Agatston > 0, OR 0.70 (0.59-0.83)), mild (Agatston ≥ 10; OR 0.85 (0.71-1.02)), moderate (Agatston ≥ 100; OR 0.99 (0.79-1.24)) or severe calcifications (Agatston ≥ 400; OR 0.93 (0.65-1.33)).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No difference in the presence or severity of coronary calcifications was observed between asymptomatic and symptomatic middle-aged individuals. After adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors, symptoms were not predictive for the presence or extent of CAC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Odense University Hospital, Denmark Department of Cardiology, Lillebaelt Hospital - Vejle, Denmark kristianovrehus@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Kristian A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Øvrehus
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Esbjerg Hospital, Denmark.
authors.forename: Jurgita
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jasinskiene
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Esbjerg Hospital, Denmark Institute of Regional Health Services Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
authors.forename: Niels P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Sand
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Aarhus University Hospital - Skejby, Denmark.
authors.forename: Jesper M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Lillebaelt Hospital - Vejle, Denmark.
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Munkholm
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Svendborg Hospital, Denmark.
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Egstrup
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Svendborg Hospital, Denmark.
authors.forename: Jess
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lambrecthsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Odense University Hospital, Denmark.
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mickley
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Odense University Hospital, Denmark.
authors.forename: Axel C P
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Diederichsen
mesh_terms: D058070:Asymptomatic Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000453:epidemiology; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000453:epidemiology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D061205:Vascular Calcification / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*
keywords: Artery disease; cardiac CT; coronary artery calcification