Distribution of Coronary Artery Calcification in an Asymptomatic Korean Population: Association with Risk Factors of Cardiovascular Disease and Metabolic Syndrome

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Coronary artery calcification (CAC) has been used as surrogate marker for coronary atherosclerosis. We developed a set of age-and gender-stratified CAC distribution and risk factors for CAC in a population of asymptomatic Korean subjects. Subjects and Methods: Between 2003 and 2007, 3,961 asymptomatic subjects without a history of ischemic heart disease (male 64%, mean age 56±10 years) were screened for CAC by the use of multi-detector computed tomography. Results: The total CAC score was assigned to a percentile according to age and gender. The prevalence of CAC and mean CAC score increased with age [p<0.001 by analysis of variance (ANOVA)]. The prevalence of CAC (mean CAC score) was 36.2% (60.5±236.1) in males, and 17.0% (15.1±84.0) in females. The age-and sex-adjusted odds ratio for the presence of CAC for subjects with diabetes was 1.542 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.252-1.899], for subjects with hypertension was 1.673 (95% CI 1.430-1.956), for subjects with metabolic syndrome was 1.727 (95% CI 1.461-2.042), and for subjects with abdominal obesity (abdominal obesity defined as a waist circumference ≥90 cm in males; ≥80 cm in females) was 1.445 (95% CI 1.222-1.709). Conclusion: This study reports the distribution of CAC score by age and gender. It will serve as a reference standard for the clinical interpretation of CAC results in the asymptomatic Korean population. (Korean Circ J 2008;38:29-35)