Prevalence and Distribution of Coronary Artery Calcification in Asymptomatic United States and Korean Adults　- Cross-Sectional Propensity-Matched Analysis.
The incidence of coronary artery disease (CAD) varies depending on ethnicity, but the precise differences remain to be firmly established. This study therefore evaluated the disparity in coronary artery calcification (CAC), as a marker of CAD, in asymptomatic US and Korean adults.



CAC score was compared between asymptomatic Korean (n=15,128) and US (n=7,533) adults. Propensity score matching was performed according to age, gender, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and current smoking, which generated 2 cohorts of 5,427 matched pairs. Both cohorts were categorized according to age group: 45-54, 55-64, and 65-74 years. Overall, the prevalence of CAC score >0, >100, and >400 in Korean adults was lower than in US adults (P<0.001, all). According to increasing age groups, the likelihood of CAC was most often lower in Korean adults, especially in Korean women. The odds of having CAC >400 in Korean adults aged 65-74 years was 0.66 (95% CI: 0.48-0.91) overall, 0.78 (95% CI: 0.52-1.19) in men, and 0.50 (95% CI: 0.29-0.86) in women, compared with US counterparts.



Korean adults have a lower prevalence and severity of atherosclerotic burden as assessed on CAC, compared with US adults, but the disparity in CAC according to ethnicity may decline with older age. (Circ J 2016; 80: 2349-2355).
Division of Cardiology, Yonsei Cardiovascular Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine.
Donghee
D
Han
Bríain
B
Ó Hartaigh
Heidi
H
Gransar
Ji Hyun
JH
Lee
Su-Yeon
SY
Choi
Eun Ju
EJ
Chun
Jidong
J
Sung
Hae-Won
HW
Han
Sung Hak
SH
Park
Tracy
T
Callister
Fay Y
FY
Lin
James K
JK
Min
Hyuk-Jae
HJ
Chang
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012737:Sex Factors; D014481:United States; D061205:Vascular Calcification / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology