Subclinical calcified atherosclerosis in men and its association with a family history of premature coronary heart disease in first- and second-degree relatives.

The authors examined the associations between coronary artery calcification and a family history of premature coronary heart disease in either first-degree (immediate family) or second-degree (grandparents, aunts, uncles) relatives in 1619 asymptomatic healthy men ages 40-50 years. The prevalence of any coronary artery calcification was 19.3% in participants (n=1102) with no family history, 26.6% in those with a first-degree family history (n=203; 12.5%), 26.5% in those with a second-degree family history (n=215, 13.3%), and 30.3% with both (n=99, 6.1%, p=0.003). After controlling for the Framingham risk score, body mass index, and ethnicity, all categories of family history were significant predictors of coronary artery calcification. The odds ratios for coronary artery calcification associated with a first- (1.49; p=0.026) and second-degree (1.41; p=0.049) family history of coronary heart disease were similar. Clinical coronary risk assessments should broadly include an assessment of premature coronary heart disease in both first- and second-degree relatives.