BACKGROUND: Coronary artery calcification has been proposed as a noninvasive method to assess cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. However, the prevalence and risk factors for coronary artery calcification in populations >65 years have not been well studied. METHODS AND RESULTS: Electron beam tomography was performed to assess coronary artery calcium (CAC) in 614 older adults aged, on average, 80 years (range, 67 to 99 years); 367 (60%) were women, and 143 (23%) were black. Calcium scores ranged from 0 to 5459. Median scores were 622 for men and 205 for women. Scores increased by age and were lower in blacks than in whites. Nine percent of subjects (n=57) had no CAC, and 31% (n=190) had a score lower than 100. A history of CVD was associated with calcium score. Age, male sex, white race, CVD, triglyceride level, pack-years of smoking, and asthma, emphysema, or bronchitis (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) were independently associated with CAC score in the fourth quartile. CONCLUSIONS: A wide range of CAC scores was observed, suggesting adaptation with aging. CAC may have potential to predict CVD in older adults, but this remains to be determined.
BACKGROUND:Coronary artery calcification has been proposed as a noninvasive method to assess cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. However, the prevalence and risk factors for coronary artery calcification in populations >65 years have not been well studied. METHODS AND RESULTS: Electron beam tomography was performed to assess coronary artery calcium (CAC) in 614 older adults aged, on average, 80 years (range, 67 to 99 years); 367 (60%) were women, and 143 (23%) were black. Calcium scores ranged from 0 to 5459. Median scores were 622 for men and 205 for women. Scores increased by age and were lower in blacks than in whites. Nine percent of subjects (n=57) had no CAC, and 31% (n=190) had a score lower than 100. A history of CVD was associated with calcium score. Age, male sex, white race, CVD, triglyceride level, pack-years of smoking, and asthma, emphysema, or bronchitis (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) were independently associated with CAC score in the fourth quartile. CONCLUSIONS: A wide range of CAC scores was observed, suggesting adaptation with aging. CAC may have potential to predict CVD in older adults, but this remains to be determined.
Authors: Lygeri P Soubassi; Theodore C Chiras; Emmanuel D Papadakis; George D Poulos; Dimitrios I Chaniotis; Ioannis P Tsapakidis; Sofia P Soubassi; Stylianos N Zerefos; Nikolaos S Zerefos; Dimitrios A Valis Journal: Int Urol Nephrol Date: 2006 Impact factor: 2.370
Authors: Lynne E Wagenknecht; Carl D Langefeld; Barry I Freedman; J Jeffery Carr; Donald W Bowden Journal: Am J Epidemiol Date: 2007-05-09 Impact factor: 4.897
Authors: P Maisonneuve; A B Lowenfels; B Müllhaupt; G Cavallini; P G Lankisch; J R Andersen; E P Dimagno; A Andrén-Sandberg; L Domellöf; L Frulloni; R W Ammann Journal: Gut Date: 2005-04 Impact factor: 23.059
Authors: Tushar J Vachharajani; Louise M Moist; Marc H Glickman; Miguel A Vazquez; Kevan R Polkinghorne; Charmaine E Lok; Timmy C Lee Journal: Nat Rev Nephrol Date: 2013-12-03 Impact factor: 28.314