OBJECTIVES: This study identified the incidence and predictors of conversion of a normal to abnormal coronary artery calcium (CAC) scan during serial CAC scanning over 5 years. BACKGROUND: Although a normal CAC scan signifies absence of significant atherosclerosis and is used to identify individuals at low clinical risk, the "warranty period" of a normal CAC scan relative to its ability to predict sustained absence of coronary atherosclerosis remains unknown. METHODS: We assessed frequency of and time to progression, as well as proportional increase of CAC in 422 individuals with normal CAC scan (CAC = 0) undergoing annual CAC scanning for 5 years. Results were compared with those of a referent cohort of 621 individuals with baseline CAC scan (CAC >0). RESULTS: A total of 106 (25.1%) patients with CAC = 0 developed CAC during follow-up at a mean time to conversion of 4.1 +/- 0.9 years. Incidence of conversion to CAC >0 was nonlinear and was highest in the fifth year. In multivariable analysis, progression to CAC >0 was associated with age, diabetes, and smoking (p < 0.01 for all). Among the 621 individuals with baseline CAC >0, only the presence of CAC itself, rather than CAD risk factors, was predictive of CAC progression. Among propensity score-matched individuals with CAC >0 versus CAC = 0, baseline CAC >0 emerged as the strongest predictor of CAC progression (hazard ratio [HR]: 12.50, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 9.31 to 16.77), followed by diabetes (HR: 2.07, 95% CI: 1.47 to 2.90) and smoking (HR: 1.29, 95% CI: 1.02 to 1.63, p < 0.05 for all). CONCLUSIONS: Among individuals with CAC = 0, conversion to CAC >0 is nonlinear and occurs at low frequency before 4 years. No clinical factor seems to mandate earlier repeat CAC scanning. Copyright 2010 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
OBJECTIVES: This study identified the incidence and predictors of conversion of a normal to abnormal coronary artery calcium (CAC) scan during serial CAC scanning over 5 years. BACKGROUND: Although a normal CAC scan signifies absence of significant atherosclerosis and is used to identify individuals at low clinical risk, the "warranty period" of a normal CAC scan relative to its ability to predict sustained absence of coronary atherosclerosis remains unknown. METHODS: We assessed frequency of and time to progression, as well as proportional increase of CAC in 422 individuals with normal CAC scan (CAC = 0) undergoing annual CAC scanning for 5 years. Results were compared with those of a referent cohort of 621 individuals with baseline CAC scan (CAC >0). RESULTS: A total of 106 (25.1%) patients with CAC = 0 developed CAC during follow-up at a mean time to conversion of 4.1 +/- 0.9 years. Incidence of conversion to CAC >0 was nonlinear and was highest in the fifth year. In multivariable analysis, progression to CAC >0 was associated with age, diabetes, and smoking (p < 0.01 for all). Among the 621 individuals with baseline CAC >0, only the presence of CAC itself, rather than CAD risk factors, was predictive of CAC progression. Among propensity score-matched individuals with CAC >0 versus CAC = 0, baseline CAC >0 emerged as the strongest predictor of CAC progression (hazard ratio [HR]: 12.50, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 9.31 to 16.77), followed by diabetes (HR: 2.07, 95% CI: 1.47 to 2.90) and smoking (HR: 1.29, 95% CI: 1.02 to 1.63, p < 0.05 for all). CONCLUSIONS: Among individuals with CAC = 0, conversion to CAC >0 is nonlinear and occurs at low frequency before 4 years. No clinical factor seems to mandate earlier repeat CAC scanning. Copyright 2010 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Authors: Tochi M Okwuosa; Philip Greenland; Gregory L Burke; John Eng; Mary Cushman; Erin D Michos; Hongyan Ning; Donald M Lloyd-Jones Journal: JACC Cardiovasc Imaging Date: 2012-02
Authors: Mahmoud Al Rifai; Miguel Cainzos-Achirica; Sina Kianoush; Mohammadhassan Mirbolouk; Allison Peng; Josep Comin-Colet; Michael J Blaha Journal: Curr Treat Options Cardiovasc Med Date: 2018-09-26
Authors: Shaista Malik; Yanglu Zhao; Matthew Budoff; Khurram Nasir; Roger S Blumenthal; Alain G Bertoni; Nathan D Wong Journal: JAMA Cardiol Date: 2017-12-01 Impact factor: 14.676