			Home About us Contact

Coronary Calcification (coronary + calcification)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	100%

Selected Abstracts

The association of coronary calcium score and conventional cardiovascular risk factors in Type 2 diabetic subjects asymptomatic for coronary heart disease (The PREDICT Study)

DIABETIC MEDICINE, Issue 10 2004
R. S. Elkeles
Abstract Aim To determine the association between coronary calcification score (CACS) obtained by electron beam computed tomography (EBCT) and cardiovascular risk factors in Type 2 diabetic subjects entered into a prospective cohort study. Methods Type 2 diabetic subjects attending routine hospital diabetic clinics without known coronary heart disease (CHD) underwent EBCT to measure CACS. Demographic data were obtained and conventional cardiovascular risk factors were measured at baseline. Results Four hundred and ninety-five subjects were assessed of whom 67.7% were male. They had a mean (sd) age of 62.9 (7.1) years, with median (inter-quartile range) duration of diabetes of 8 (4,13) years. None had a history of coronary artery disease. Forty-five per cent were receiving lipid-lowering agents (including 36% statins). In a univariate analysis, there were significant associations between increased CACS and age, duration of diabetes, male gender, waist,hip ratio (WHR), systolic blood pressure, and the use of statins. In a multivariate model adjusting for the possible interaction of these and other factors, the significant association between CACS and WHR, systolic blood pressure, male gender and statin use remained. Conclusions The close association between CACS and WHR and the association with systolic blood pressure suggest that coronary calcification may be particularly linked to the metabolic syndrome in Type 2 diabetes. [source]

Impact of genetic defects on coronary atherosclerosis in patients suspected of having familial hypercholesterolaemia

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION, Issue 1 2003
O. S. Descamps
Abstract Background In the present study we assessed whether the presence of genetic mutations typical of familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) was associated with greater atherosclerosis in the coronary vessels in patients with severe hypercholesterolaemia and a family history of early cardiovascular disease. Materials and methods Two hundred and thirty-five patients selected for having severe hypercholesterolaemia and a family history of cardiovascular disease were classified as FH (57 men and 38 women) or non-FH (84 men and 56 women) according to a genetic analysis of the LDL-R or ApoB genes. Coronary atherosclerosis was evaluated by performing a thoracic CT scan and exercise stress testing. Results Familial hypercholesterolaemia individuals had a significantly higher prevalence of coronary calcification than the non-FH patients from among both the men (OR = 3·90; 95% CI 1·86,8·19; P < 0·001) and the women (OR = 2·34; 95% CI 1·01,5·48; P = 0·05). In exercise stress testing, ECG abnormalities suggestive of cardiac ischaemia were found with a higher prevalence in the FH patients than the non-FH patients from among both the men (OR 6·15; 95% CI 2·16,17·5; P < 0·001) and the women (OR 4·76; 95% CI 0·91,24·6; P = 0·06). All differences were statistically significant after adjusting for age and cholesterol and for most classical risk factors that differed between the FH and non-FH groups. Conclusion Among patients with severe hypercholesterolaemia and a family history of early cardiovascular disease, the presence of a genetically ascertained FH is associated with a higher prevalence of coronary artery calcifications and a positive exercise stress test. These results suggest that despite a similar phenotype, patients carrying mutations suggestive of FH may have a greater cardiovascular risk than patients without these mutations. [source]

Point/Counterpoint: The Role of Carotid Ultrasound

PREVENTIVE CARDIOLOGY, Issue 2 2005
Point: Uses Of Carotid Plaque Measurement As A Predictor Of Cardiovascular Events
Vascular prevention is most cost-effective in high-risk patients, but secondary prevention misses many opportunities. The high-risk strategy-identifying patients with high levels of risk factors-is problematic because traditional risk factors predict only half of vascular events. In multiple regression, traditional risk factors explained only half of carotid atherosclerosis. New strategies are being explored, such as electron-beam computerized tomographic measurement of coronary calcification, to identify high-risk patients. Carotid plaque is a powerful tool for identifying and managing high-risk vascular patients, as it explains twice as much of unexplained vascular risk as coronary calcium by electron beam computerized tomography, and it has significant advantages compared with intimal-medial thickness. After adjustment for risk factors, patients in the highest quartile of baseline plaque area have 3.5 times the risk of stroke, death, or myocardial infarction compared with those in the lowest quartile. Those with regression or stable plaque have half the risk of those with progression after adjustment for the same panel of risk factors. The therapeutic target is plaque regression or stabilization, not just control of traditional risk factors. Trying to treat arteries without measuring plaque is like trying to treat hypertension without measuring the pressure, or hyperlipidemia without measuring the lipids. [source]

Electron Beam Computed Tomographic Scanning in Preventive Medicine

PREVENTIVE CARDIOLOGY, Issue 2 2002
David G. King BSc
Undetected coronary atherosclerosis is present in the majority of patients suffering myocardial infarction or sudden death. Electron beam computed tomography affords noninvasive scanning of the heart to detect and measure coronary calcification. These data permit dramatically improved assessment of both short term and future risk for cardiac and other events. Knowledge of this risk gives the physician an opportunity for timely and cost-effective interventions. [source]

Adipocytokines, insulin resistance, and coronary atherosclerosis in rheumatoid arthritis

ARTHRITIS & RHEUMATISM, Issue 5 2010
Young Hee Rho
Objective The prevalence of subclinical coronary atherosclerosis is increased in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and the increased risk is associated with insulin resistance. Adipocytokines have been linked to obesity, insulin resistance, inflammation, and coronary heart disease in the general population. This study was undertaken to examine the hypothesis that adipocytokines affect insulin resistance and coronary atherosclerosis among patients with RA. Methods The coronary calcium score, homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index, and serum adipocytokine (leptin, adiponectin, resistin, and visfatin) concentrations were determined in 169 patients with RA. The independent effect of each adipocytokine on insulin resistance according to the HOMA-IR index and on coronary artery calcification determined by electron beam computed tomography was assessed in models adjusted for age, race, sex, body mass index (BMI), traditional cardiovascular risk factors, and inflammation mediators. In addition, an interaction analysis was performed to evaluate whether the effect of the HOMA-IR index on the coronary calcium score is moderated by adipocytokines. Results Increased concentrations of leptin were associated with a higher HOMA-IR index, even after adjustment for age, race, sex, BMI, traditional cardiovascular risk factors, and inflammation mediators (P < 0.001), but concentrations of visfatin (P = 0.06), adiponectin (P = 0.55), and resistin (P = 0.98) showed no association with the HOMA-IR index. None of the adipocytokines was independently associated with the coronary calcium score (all P > 0.05). Serum leptin concentrations showed a significant interaction with the HOMA-IR index (P for multivariate interaction = 0.02). Increasing leptin concentrations attenuated the increased risk of coronary calcification related to insulin resistance. Serum concentrations of the other adipocytokines showed no significant interactions with the HOMA-IR index (each P > 0.05). Conclusion Leptin is associated with insulin resistance in patients with RA but, paradoxically, attenuates the effects of insulin resistance on coronary calcification. [source]

Cardiac computed tomography: Diagnostic utility and integration in clinical practice

CLINICAL CARDIOLOGY, Issue S1 2006
Matthew J. Budoff M.D.
Abstract Cardiac applications of computed tomography (CT) is a rapidly growing diagnostic area because of the ability to visualize plaque burden (coronary artery calcification [CAC]) and luminal obstruction (computed tomographic angiography [CTA]) noninvasively. Coronary artery calcification has been validated in over 1,000 studies over the last 20 years, primarily with electron beam tomography. Studies demonstrate several indications that could aid physicians in the management of symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. Determining that a symptomatic patient has no CAC is associated with both a lower risk of an abnormal nuclear study and angiographic obstruction. The ability to detect subclinical atherosclerosis (CAC) with minimal radiation and no contrast makes this an attractive method for risk stratification. New studies demonstrate a 10-fold risk of cardiovascular events with increasing amounts of coronary calcification. The invasive nature, expense, and risk resulting from invasive angiography have been instrumental in encouraging the development of new diagnostic methods that allow the coronary arteries to be visualized noninvasively. Multislice CT, with its advanced spatial and temporal resolution, has opened up new possibilities in the imaging of the heart and major vessels of the chest, including the coronary arteries. The last decade has seen great strides in the field of cardiac imaging, particularly in the ability to visualize the coronary lumen with sufficient diagnostic accuracy. Possessing that qualification, CTA is now being used increasingly in clinical practice. As a result of having high spatial and improved temporal resolutions, this imaging modality not only allows branches of the coronary artery to be evaluated, but also allows simultaneous analysis of other cardiac structures, making it extremely useful for other cardiac applications. This paper reviews the diagnostic utility and limitations of cardiac CT and how it could be integrated into clinical practice. [source]

Comparison of echocardiography and electron beam tomography in differentiating the etiology of heart failure

CLINICAL CARDIOLOGY, Issue 6 2000
Thuy Le M.D.
Abstract Background: The clinical manifestations in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy are often indistinguishable from those in patients with primary dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Clinicians often base work-up of patients with heart failure on echocardiographic wall motion abnormalities; however misclassification can lead to unnecessary coronary angiography. Hypothesis: The study was undertaken to evaluate the diagnostic ability of echocardiography and electron beam tomography (EBT) to differentiate between ischemic and nonischemic cardiomyopathy. Methods: The accuracy of EBT and echocardiography was compared in 111 patients undergoing coronary angiography for the evaluation of heart failure. The presence of coronary calcification (CC) by EBT or segmental wall motion abnormalities by echocardiography was used as evidence of coronary-induced cardiomyopathy. Results: Of 63 patients, 61 (97%) with obstructive coronary artery disease had CC by EBT. This sensitivity was significantly higher compared with 43 of 63 patients (68%) with segmental wall motion abnormalities by echocardiography (p < 0.001). Of 48 patients without obstructive coronary artery disease by angiography, 39 (81%) had no CC by EBT and 35 (73%) had no segmental wall motion (global hypokinesis) by echocardiography (p = 0.33). The overall accuracy of EBT to differentiate ischemic from nonischemic cardiomyopathy was 90%, significantly higher than echocardiography (70%, p < 0.001). Conclusion: This double-blind study demonstrates that the presence of CC by EBT is superior to that of segmental wall motion abnormalities by echocardiography to distinguish ischemic from nonischemic cardiomyopathy. This modality may prove to be an important diagnostic tool when the etiology of the cardiomyopathy is not clinically evident. [source]