Hye Jin Yoo1, Hwan Seok Yong2, Soon Young Hwang3, Jae Seon Eo4, Ho Cheol Hong1, Ji A Seo1, Sin Gon Kim1, Nan Hee Kim1, Dong Seop Choi1, Sei Hyun Baik1, Kyung Mook Choi5. 1. Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea. 2. Department of Radiology, Korea University Guro Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. 3. Department of Biostatistics, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea. 4. Department of Nuclear Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. 5. Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: medica7@gmail.com.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: A new pooled cohort risk equation to estimate atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk was recently published, but the equation is based primarily on data from Caucasian populations. The relationship of this new risk scoring system with vascular inflammation and calcification has yet to be examined. METHODS: A total of 74 participants were retrospectively selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. All participants underwent (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) and multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) examination in the Korea University Guro Hospital between June 2009 and May 2013. Vascular inflammation of the carotid artery was measured as target-to-background ratio (TBR) using (18)F-FDG-PET/CT and coronary artery calcification was quantified as Agatston score by MDCT. RESULTS: Agatston scores were not significantly associated with any metabolic risk factors, but maximum TBR values exhibited a significant positive correlation with body mass index (r=0.31, P=0.01), waist circumference (r=0.42, P<0.01), waist-to-hip ratio (r=0.49, P<0.01), and systolic (r=0.35, P<0.01) and diastolic blood pressure (r=0.39, P<0.01). Furthermore, maximum TBR values were significantly correlated with serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels (r=0.26, P=0.03), whereas Agatston scores had no correlation. When pooled cohort risk equation scores were divided into incremental tertiles, age, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio and systolic blood pressure showed significant incremental trends. In particular, pooled cohort risk scores exhibited a significant positive correlation with maximum TBR values (r=0.35, P<0.01), but not with Agatston scores (r=0.11, P=0.34). CONCLUSIONS: The pooled cohort risk equation exhibited significant positive correlations with vascular inflammation but not with calcification in Asian subjects without CVD, suggesting that this novel risk equation may detect early inflammatory changes preceding the structural modification of vessel walls.
OBJECTIVES: A new pooled cohort risk equation to estimate atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk was recently published, but the equation is based primarily on data from Caucasian populations. The relationship of this new risk scoring system with vascular inflammation and calcification has yet to be examined. METHODS: A total of 74 participants were retrospectively selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. All participants underwent (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) and multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) examination in the Korea University Guro Hospital between June 2009 and May 2013. Vascular inflammation of the carotid artery was measured as target-to-background ratio (TBR) using (18)F-FDG-PET/CT and coronary artery calcification was quantified as Agatston score by MDCT. RESULTS: Agatston scores were not significantly associated with any metabolic risk factors, but maximum TBR values exhibited a significant positive correlation with body mass index (r=0.31, P=0.01), waist circumference (r=0.42, P<0.01), waist-to-hip ratio (r=0.49, P<0.01), and systolic (r=0.35, P<0.01) and diastolic blood pressure (r=0.39, P<0.01). Furthermore, maximum TBR values were significantly correlated with serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels (r=0.26, P=0.03), whereas Agatston scores had no correlation. When pooled cohort risk equation scores were divided into incremental tertiles, age, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio and systolic blood pressure showed significant incremental trends. In particular, pooled cohort risk scores exhibited a significant positive correlation with maximum TBR values (r=0.35, P<0.01), but not with Agatston scores (r=0.11, P=0.34). CONCLUSIONS: The pooled cohort risk equation exhibited significant positive correlations with vascular inflammation but not with calcification in Asian subjects without CVD, suggesting that this novel risk equation may detect early inflammatory changes preceding the structural modification of vessel walls.