Presence Of Coronary Artery Calcification Research Articles

Association of ambulatory blood pressure with aortic valve and coronary artery calcification.

We aimed to investigate the effect of ambulatory blood pressure (BP) on aortic valve calcification (AVC) and coronary artery calcification (CAC), which are subclinical atherosclerotic diseases. In this population-based, cross-sectional study, we assessed office BP, mean ambulatory BP (24-h, awake, and asleep), and variability of ambulatory BP, as determined by the coefficient of variation (awake and asleep). AVC and CAC were quantified using an Agatston score (>0) based on computed tomography scanning. We calculated relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) with a 1-standard deviation increment in each BP index for the presence of AVC and CAC using a multivariate-adjusted Poisson regression with robust error variance. Of 483 participants (mean age: 66.8 years), 154 (31.9%) and 310 (64.2%) had AVC and CAC, respectively. The presence of AVC was associated with office systolic BP (SBP; RR, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.03-1.28), awake diastolic BP (DBP) variability (RR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.01-1.25), and asleep SBP variability (RR, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.03-1.27). The presence of CAC was associated with office SBP (RR, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.01-1.15), mean 24-h SBP (RR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.04-1.16), mean awake SBP (RR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.04-1.17), mean asleep SBP (RR, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.01-1.13), and asleep SBP variability (RR, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.01-1.13). These findings highlight the association of ambulatory BP indices with both AVC and CAC, but with different effects on their presences.

Serum anti-malondialdehyde-acetaldehyde IgA antibody concentration improves prediction of coronary atherosclerosis beyond traditional risk factors in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have increased atherosclerosis; oxidative stress may be a contributor. Oxidative stress produces immunogenic malondialdehyde-acetaldehyde (MAA) protein adducts and anti-MAA antibodies are detectable in human serum. We hypothesized that anti-MAA antibody concentrations are associated with coronary atherosclerosis in RA patients. Serum concentrations of anti-MAA antibodies (IgA, IgG, and IgM) were measured in 166 RA patients using ELISA cross-sectionally. Relationship between anti-MAA antibody concentrations and cardiovascular and metabolic measures and predictive accuracy of anti-MAA antibodies for presence of coronary artery calcium (CAC) and high CAC (≥ 300 Agatston units or ≥ 75th percentile) were assessed. Only serum IgA anti-MAA antibody concentration was associated with increased CAC, insulin resistance, and decreased high-density lipoprotein particle number. When added as an interaction term with ACC/AHA 10-year risk score plus high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, IgA anti-MAA antibody concentration improved the C-statistic for prediction of any CAC and high CAC compared to ACC/AHA 10-year risk score plus hs-CRP alone. IgA anti-MAA concentration is associated with multiple cardiovascular risk factors and modifies the relationship between ACC/AHA 10-year risk score and CAC in RA patients. IgA anti-MAA concentration could assist in prediction of atherosclerotic CVD and risk stratification when added to standard measures of cardiovascular risk.

ASSOCIATION OF INTER-ARM SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE DIFFERENCES WITH ARTERIOSCLEROSIS AND ATHEROSCLEROSIS: A COHORT STUDY OF 117,407 PEOPLE

Objective: Inter-arm blood pressure differences (IADs) are known to be associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes. We evaluated the distribution of IADs in a large cohort of apparently healthy people and the association of IADs with brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and coronary artery calcium (CAC). Methods: Blood pressure was measured in both arms of 117,407 people who participated in the Kangbuk Samsung Health Study. IAD was defined as the absolute difference in systolic blood pressure in both arms and was confirmed by measuring the baPWV using an automatic oscillometric device. Arterial stiffness was measured by the baPWV, and CAC was assessed using multi-detector computed tomography. Design and method: Blood pressure was measured in both arms of 117,407 people who participated in the Kangbuk Samsung Health Study. IAD was defined as the absolute difference in systolic blood pressure in both arms and was confirmed by measuring the baPWV using an automatic oscillometric device. Arterial stiffness was measured by the baPWV, and CAC was assessed using multi-detector computed tomography. Results: The mean IAD in the overall subjects was 3.09 ± 2.83 mmHg, 6 mmHg in the 90th percentile, 8 mmHg in the 95th percentile, and 10 mmHg in the 97th percentile. In the multivariable-adjusted analysis of 92,949 subjects excluding those with a history of HTN, DM, and cardiovascular disease (CVD), increasing IAD did not statistically increase the risk of developing a CAC > 0. However, IAD was associated with a baPWV of > 1,400 cm/s (odds ratio [95% confidence interval], 1.23 [1.13–1.35] in the total cohort, 1.19 [1.08–1.31] in males, and 1.39 [1.11–1.73] in females). Conclusions: More than 97% of all participants had an IAD of 10 mmHg or less. IAD was significantly associated with arterial stiffness, reflecting arteriosclerosis, but not the presence of CAC, reflecting atherosclerosis. IAD may be a valuable tool for the early detection of asymptomatic, low-risk individuals with subclinical arterial disease.

Cross-Sectional Associations of Fruit and Vegetable Intake with Coronary Artery Calcification and Pericardial Adiposity

ObjectivesTo examine the associations between fruit and vegetable (F&V) scores derived from the Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet) and Healthy Eating Index (HEI, 2015) with coronary artery calcification (CAC) and pericardial adiposity (PAT) in adults with and without type 1 diabetes (T1D).MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from the Coronary Artery Calcification in Type 1 Diabetes study [n = 1255; T1D: n = 563; non-DM: n = 692]. Participants completed a validated food frequency questionnaire, a physical examination, and fasting (12 h overnight fast) biochemical analyses. CAC and PAT were measured using electron beam computed tomography. Logistic regression models examined associations of F&V scores with CAC (presence or absence) and linear regression models were applied to PAT analyses. Model 1 was adjusted for age, sex and diabetes status, model 2 added total calories, and model 3 added BMI and lipids (LDL and HDL-cholesterol).ResultsF&V scores had no associations with CAC in any of these models. In models 1 and 2, a one-point increase in the MedDiet-derived total fruit score was associated with a significant −1.79% (95% CI: (−0.03, −0.01); p-value = 0.0001) decrease in PAT. In model 3, a one-point increase in the MedDiet-derived total fruit score was associated with a borderline significant decrease of −0.74% (95% CI: (−0.01, 0.00); p-value = 0.054) in PAT. In models 1 and 2 for the HEI-derived total fruit score, a one-point increase in the total fruit score was associated with a significant −3.22% (95% CI: (−0.05, −0.01); p-value = 0.0012) decrease in PAT. In model 3 for the HEI-derived total fruit score, there was no significant association between the HEI-derived total fruit score and PAT (p-value = 0.140).ConclusionsBaseline analyses show MedDiet and HEI-derived total fruit scores maintained a significant to borderline significant inverse relationship with PAT, but F&V scores were not associated with presence of CAC.Funding SourcesNIH and ADA.

Association between Bone Mineral Density and Coronary Atherosclerotic Plaque According to Plaque Composition: Registry for the Women Health Cohort for Bone, Breast, and Coronary Artery Disease Study.

BackgroundAlthough biological links are unclear, low bone density and atherosclerosis are inversely associated. This study evaluated the association between bone mineral density (BMD) and coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) findings, including coronary artery calcification (CAC) score and the presence, extent, and composition of coronary atherosclerotic plaque (CAP) in asymptomatic women.MethodsA symptomatic women aged ≥40 years (N=2, 100; median age, 52 years; range, 40–80 years) were selected from a retrospective observational cohort and stratified into normal, osteopenia, and osteoporosis groups according to BMD T-score grades. We evaluated CAC score and assessed the presence, extent, and stenosis severity of CAP on CCTA. Additionally, CAP was categorized as calcified, mixed, or non-calcified according to calcified component valiums (>130 Hounsfield units).ResultsOsteopenia and osteoporosis were found in 28.8% and 5.3% of participants, respectively. CAC score and CAC severity significantly increased with decreased BMD grades (from normal to osteoporosis). The presence of CAP (overall, 15.6%; normal, 12.6%; osteopenia, 20.2%; osteoporosis, 28.8%; P<0.001) and number of segments with CAP significantly increased with decreased BMD grades. Furthermore, the number of segments with calcified or mixed plaques, excluding non-calcified plaques, increased with decreased BMD grades. Although most associations were attenuated or disappeared after adjusting for age and other covariates, calcified plaques showed a strong and age-independent association with BMD grades.ConclusionsThe presence and severity of CAC and CAP were significantly associated with BMD severity in asymptomatic women, particularly for the presence of calcified plaques. Further studies are required to determine the association between vascular calcification and bone health status.

Association of epicardial adipose tissue and coronary artery calcium score in patients with atrial fibrillation

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Introduction Both coronary artery calcium (CAC) and epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) had been implicated in coronary artery disease (CAD) and risk of future adverse cardiovascular events. There are scarce data regarding the assessment and association of EAT volume and CAC score (CACS) in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients. Purpose To assess the association between EAT volume and the presence and severity of CAC in patients with AF. Methods Retrospective and single-centre study including consecutive patients with AF undergoing contrast-enhanced cardiac computed tomography for catheter ablation planning, from 2017 to 2019. Patients with known history of CAD and moderate to severe valvular heart disease were excluded. Baseline clinical and demographical data were collected, as well as their cardiovascular risk, based on the SCORE (Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation) system and cardiovascular risk categories. We assessed CACS (Agatston method) and EAT volume and analysed their association. EAT was defined as the adipose tissue accumulated between the visceral pericardium and the myocardium and was semi-automatically reconstructed by manually tracing the pericardium. Patients were split into three groups according to CACS: 0, 1-99 and ≥100. A logistic regression (LR) analysis was performed to explore the relationship between EAT volume and the presence of CAC (CACS&amp;gt;0), adjusted for age, gender, obesity, diabetes mellitus and hypertension. Results A total of 354 patients were included, with a mean age of 56 ± 12 years, 66% male and 21% with persistent AF. A CHA2DS2-VASc score ≥2 was present in 130 (37%) patients and most patients had low to moderate cardiovascular risk (n=213, 82%). More than half of the patients had a CACS&amp;gt;0 (n=185, 52%), of which 63 patients (18%) had a CACS≥100. The mean EAT volume was 79 ± 39 ml. There was a significant association between EAT volume and the presence of CAC: CACS=0 69 ± 34 ml vs CACS 1-99 84 ± 38 ml vs CACS ≥100 95 ± 45 ml (p&amp;lt;0.001) (Fig. 1). After covariate adjustment (LR model R2 = 0.373, p &amp;lt;0.0001), the presence of CAC was not associated with EAT volume (OR 1.00, 95%CI 1.00 - 1.01, p=0.2) or obesity, and only with higher age, male gender, hypertension and diabetes mellitus (Fig. 2). Conclusion In our cohort of patients with AF undergoing catheter ablation we observed an association between EAT and CACS. Nevertheless, EAT volume was not an independent predictor of CACS and only the classical cardiovascular risk factors remained significant.

P129 IMPACT OF THE ATHEROSCLEROTIC PABULUM ON IN–HOSPITAL MORTALI–TY FOR SARS–COV–2 INFECTION. IS CALCIUM SCORE ABLE TO IDENTIFY AT RISK PATIENTS?

BackgroundAlthough the primary cause of death in COVID–19 infection is respiratory failure, there are evidences that cardiac manifestations may contribute to overall mortality and can even be the primary cause of death. More importantly, it is recognised that COVID–19 is associated with a high incidence of thrombotic complications.Aim of the Studyevaluate if CAC score was useful to predict in–hospital mortality and complications in patients with COVID infectionMethodsTwo–hundred–eighty–four patients with proven SARS–CoV2 infection who had a non–contrast Chest CT at our facility were retrospective analysed for coronary artery calcium (CAC) score. Primary endpoint was in–h mortality. Secondary end–points were need for mechanical ventilation and Intensive Care Unit admission. Clinical and radiological data were retrieved.ResultsPatients with coronary calcium had higher inflammatory burden at admission (D–dimer, CRP, Procalcitonin) and higher high–sensitive Troponin I (HScTnI) at admission and at peak. While there was no association with presence of consolidation and ground glass opacities, patients with coronary calcium had higher incidence of bilateral infiltration and higher in–hospital mortality. The main finding of our research is that CAC alone does not completely identify all the population at risk of events in the setting of COVID 19 patients. Peak HScTnI was associated with higher mortality, intensive care unit admission and mechanical ventilation in both univariable at multivariable analysis.ConclusionsTogether with the presence of higher inflammation burden CAC may be a useful marker in identifying patients at risk of cardiovascular complications and in hospital mortality.

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Association Between Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Coronary Artery Calcification.

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine pathology affecting women of reproductive age characterized by chronic anovulation, hyperandrogenism, and polycystic ovaries. Coronary artery calcification (CAC) is a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis and prognostic of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Some studies have shown that women with PCOS have a greater risk of CAC; however, a few others report contrary findings. The objective of this study is to examine and quantify the association between PCOS and CAC. Materials and Methods: We searched EMBASE, Google Scholar, PubMed, and Web of Science from inception to November 2021 to identify studies that provided information on PCOS and CAC. We used a random-effects model to aggregate the odds ratios (ORs) for CAC (score >0) among women with PCOS compared with controls adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics and CVD risk factors. Results: From the 36 articles reviewed, 3 prospective cohort and 4 cross-sectional studies met the inclusion criteria with a total of 2341 participants. Six studies used CAC > 0 as an outcome and were included in the pooled analysis. Using the Hartung-Knapp-Sidik-Jonkman method, the pooled adjusted ORs for the associations between PCOS and the presence of CAC were 2.48 (95% confidence interval: 2.11-2.84) with no significant heterogeneity (I2 = 0.10%, p = 0.97) for the cohort studies and 1.88 (0.71-3.06) with no significant heterogeneity (I2 = 13.95%, p = 0.87) for the cross-sectional studies. Conclusion: In pooled analyses, women with PCOS had approximately twofold greater odds of having CAC compared with women without PCOS. However, additional prospective studies will be needed to further understand the relationship between PCOS and CAC.

Proteomic Signature of Subclinical Coronary Artery Disease in People With HIV: Analysis of the REPRIEVE Mechanistic Substudy.

People with HIV (PWH) have subclinical coronary artery disease (CAD) despite low traditional atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk scores. Coronary plaque in PWH presents as a unique phenotype, but little is known about the contributions of specific inflammatory pathways to plaque phenotypes in PWH. The REPRIEVE Mechanistic Substudy enrolled PWH on ART without known cardiovascular disease. We used a targeted discovery proteomics approach to evaluate 246 unique proteins representing cardiovascular, inflammatory, and immune pathways. Proteomic signatures were determined for presence of coronary artery calcium (CAC > 0) and presence of coronary plaque. Data were available for 662 participants (aged 51 [SD 6] years, ASCVD risk score 4.9% [SD 3.1%]). Among 12 proteins associated with both CAC and presence of coronary plaque, independent of ASCVD risk score, the odds ratios were highest for NRP1: 5.1 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.3-11.4) for CAC and 2.9 (95% CI, 1.4-6.1) for presence of plaque. Proteins uniquely related to presence of plaque were CST3, LTBR, MEPE, PLC, SERPINA5, and TNFSF13B; in contrast, DCN, IL-6RA, OSMR, ST2, and VCAM1 were only related to CAC. Distinct immune and inflammatory pathways are differentially associated with subclinical CAD phenotypes among PWH. This comprehensive set of targets should be further investigated to reduce atherosclerosis and ASCVD in PWH. NCT02344290.

Predictive Value of Coronary Artery Calcium in Patients Receiving Computed Tomography Pulmonary Angiography for Suspected Pulmonary Embolism in the Emergency Department.

Coronary artery calcium (CAC) is a frequent incidental finding on computed tomography pulmonary angiogram (CTPA) in the evaluation of pulmonary embolism (PE) in the emergency department (ED); however, its prognostic value is unclear. In this study, we interrogate the prognostic value of CAC identified on CTPA in predicting adverse outcomes in the evaluation of PE in the ED. In this retrospective cohort study, we identified 610 patients presenting to the ED in 2013 and evaluated with CTPA for suspected PE. Ordinal CAC scores were evaluated as absent (0), mild (1), moderate (2), or severe (3) in each of the 4 main coronary arteries. Composite CAC scores were subsequently compared against adverse clinical outcomes, defined as intensive care unit admission, hospital stay longer than 72 hours, or death during hospital course or at 6-month follow-up, using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Relevant exclusion criteria included a history of cardiovascular disease. In all, 365 patients met the inclusion criteria (231 women, mean age 56±16 y) with 132 patients (36%) having some degree of CAC and 16 (4%) having severe CAC. Known malignancy was present in 151 (41%) patients and composite adverse clinical outcomes were observed in 98 patients (32%). Age, presence of acute PE, malignancy, and presence of CAC were significant predictors of adverse outcomes on both univariate and multivariate analyses. CAC was not an independent predictor of short-term adverse outcomes on multivariate analysis ( P =0.06) when all patients were considered. However, when patients with known malignancy were excluded, CAC was an independent predictor of short-term adverse outcomes (odds ratio=2.5, confidence interval=1.1-5.5, P =0.03) independent of age and presence of PE. The presence of CAC on CT PA was predictive of adverse outcomes in patients without known cardiac disease presenting to the ED with suspected PE.

Prognostic value of coronary artery calcium scores from 1.5 mm slice reconstructions of electrocardiogram-gated computed tomography scans in asymptomatic individuals

It is unknown whether the thinner slice reconstruction has added value relative to 3 mm reconstructions in predicting major adverse cardiac events (MACEs). This retrospective study included 550 asymptomatic individuals who underwent cardiac CT. Coronary artery calcium (CAC) scores and severity categories were assessed from 1.5 and 3 mm scans. CAC scores obtained from 1.5 and 3 mm scans were compared using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Cox proportional hazard models were developed to predict MACEs based on the degree of coronary artery stenosis on coronary CT angiography and the presence of CAC on both scans. Model performances were compared using the time-dependent ROC curve and integrated area under the curve (iAUC) methods. The CAC scores obtained from 1.5 mm scans were significantly higher than those from 3 mm scans (median, interquartile range 4.5[0–71] vs. 0[0–48.4]; p < 0.001). Models showed no difference in predictive accuracy of the presence of CAC between 1.5 and 3 mm scans (iAUC, 0.625 vs. 0.672). In conclusion, CAC scores obtained from 1.5 mm scans are significantly higher than those from 3 mm scans, but do not provide added prognostic value relative to 3 mm scans.

MO454: Increased Senescent Cell Burden and Alterations in NRF2 Pathway Drive Uraemic Vascular Calcification in Humans

Abstract BACKGROUND AND AIMS Vascular calcification is a clinical sequelae of chronic kidney disease (CKD) that is associated with high cardiovascular-related mortality in end-stage kidney failure (ESKF) patients. Increased senescent cell burden and dysregulation of the NRF2 pathway, the master regulator of antioxidant genes, have been suggested to play an important role in the onset of multiple non-communicable burden-of-lifestyle diseases, including but not limited to diabetes, obesity and CKD. Thus, we investigated if senescence and NRF2 pathways may serve as drivers of uraemia-induced vascular calcification in human arteries. METHOD ESKF patients without epigastric artery calcification and coronary artery calcification (CAC) (n = 8) were matched with patients with severely calcified epigastric arteries and the presence of CAC (n = 8). In all subjects, samples of epigastric arteries were obtained during living donor kidney transplantation surgery. Gene (qPCR) and protein expression (immunohistochemistry) of cellular senescence markers (p16, p21), NRF2 pathway candidates (NRF2, NQO1, CAT, SOD1) and calcification markers (RUNX2, ALPL) were assessed. In addition, four groups of aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) were treated as follows: i) control media; ii) osteogenic media (Pi = 2.5mM); iii) osteogenic media + pooled serum from non-ESKD subjects; or iv) osteogenic media + pooled uraemic serum from ESKF patients that had severely calcified epigastric arteries (n = 8). Calcification in cell culture experiments was assessed using BoneTag Optical Probe and normalized for protein content, while gene expression analysis for a selection of calcification, senescence and NRF2-related markers, and SA-beta-GAL staining, were performed (n = 4 each). RESULTS At the gene expression level, severely calcified epigastric arteries as assessed by von Kossa staining (Figure 1a) had preserved ALPL expression but significantly increased RUNX2 expression (P &amp;lt; 0.01; Figure 1b) when compared with non-calcified vessels. Gene expression of p16, but not p21, was increased in the calcified compared with non-calcified group (P &amp;lt; 0.001, Figure 1c), while both p16 and p21 protein expressions were elevated in the media layer of calcified vessels (Figure 1c). NRF2 and downstream target gene expressions remained similar between the two groups, however, NRF2 protein expression was increased in the non-calcified group. In cell culture studies, uraemic serum-induced VSMC calcification was increased when compared to non-uraemic serum and osteogenic controls (P &amp;lt; 0.0001, Figure 2a). This was further accompanied by increased ALPL gene expression (P &amp;lt; 0.0001, Figure 2b) and reduced NRF2, SOD1 and NQO1 gene expression (all P &amp;lt; 0.01, Figure 2c). SA-beta-gal staining and p16/p21 gene expression analysis revealed that uraemic serum-induced calcification was not associated with increased senescent cell burden. CONCLUSION Established calcification in ESKF patients is associated with increased senescent cell burden, but preserved NRF2 pathway markers, in epigastric arteries. In contrast, induced calcification was accompanied by the diminished activity of the NRF2 pathway, but not senescence pattern, using an in vitro approach in VSMCs. Our translational data indicate that established and induced calcification may reflect different pathophysiological processes, supporting data from a parallel study using 5/6 rats (Laget, Hobson et al., unpublished data). Future studies should consider the timing of initiation of NRF2 agonist/senolytic treatment when targeting calcification in ESKF patients.

Machine Learning for the Prevalence and Severity of Coronary Artery Calcification in Nondialysis Chronic Kidney Disease Patients: A Chinese Large Cohort Study.

Purpose:This study sought to determine whether machine learning (ML) can be used to better identify the risk factors and establish the prediction models for the prevalence and severity of coronary artery calcification (CAC) in nondialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients and compare the performance of distinctive ML models with conventional logistic regression (LR) model.Materials and Methods:In all, 3701 Chinese nondialysis CKD patients undergoing noncontrast cardiac computed tomography (CT) scanning were enrolled from November 2013 to December 2017. CAC score derived from the cardiac CT was calculated with the calcium scoring software and was used to assess and stratify the prevalence and severity of CAC. Four ML models (LR, random forest, support vector machine, and k-nearest neighbor) and the corresponding feature ranks were conducted. The model that incorporated the independent predictors was shown as the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Area under the curve (AUC) was used to present the prediction value. ML model performance was compared with the traditional LR model using pairwise comparisons of AUCs.Results:Of the 3701 patients, 943 (25.5%) patients had CAC. Of the 943 patients with CAC, 764 patients (20.6%) and 179 patients (4.8%) had an Agatston CAC score of 1 to 300 and ≥300, respectively. The primary cohort and the independent validation cohort comprised 2957 patients and 744 patients, respectively. For the prevalence of CAC, the AUCs of ML models were from 0.78 to 0.82 in the training data set and the internal validation cohort. For the severity of CAC, the AUCs of the 4 ML models were from 0.67 to 0.70 in the training data set and from 0.53 to 0.70 in the internal validation cohort. For the prevalence of CAC, the AUC was 0.80 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.77-0.83) for ML (LR) versus 0.80 (95% CI: 0.77-0.83) for the traditional LR model (P=0.2533). For the severity of CAC, the AUC was 0.70 (95% CI: 0.63-0.77) for ML (LR) versus 0.70 (95% CI: 0.63-0.77) for traditional LR model (P=0.982).Conclusions:This study constructed prediction models for the presence and severity of CAC based on Agatston scores derived from noncontrast cardiac CT scanning in nondialysis CKD patients using ML, and showed ML LR had the best performance.

In This Issue of the Journal

In This Issue of the Journal

Gender-Based Association of Coronary Artery Calcification and Framingham Risk Score With Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Abdominal Obesity in Taiwanese Adults, a Cross-Sectional Study.

BackgroundIt is not certain whether non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or abdominal obesity (AO) has stronger associations with atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease (CAD) risk across different genders. The purpose of this study was to determine the gender-based association of NAFLD and AO with subclinical atherosclerosis represented by coronary artery calcification (CAC) and CAD risk by Framingham risk score (FRS).MethodsA total of 1,655 participants in a health-screening program (mean age: 49.44 years; males: 70.33%) were enrolled for analysis. Fatty liver and coronary artery calcium score (CACS) were measured via ultrasonography (US) and multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT). The presence of CAC was defined as having a CACS > 0, intermediate to high CAD risk was defined as FRS ≥ 10%, while the presence of AO was defined as having a waist circumference (WC) of ≥90 cm for men and ≥80 cm for women. Participants were categorized into four groups depending on the presence or absence of NAFLD and/or AO.ResultsThe percentage of subjects with CACS > 0 was highest in the AO-only group (overall: 42.6%; men: 48.4%; women: 35.8%); and FRS ≥ 10% was highest in the group with both abnormalities (overall: 50.3%%; men: 57.3%; women: 32.4%). After adjustment factors, the odds ratio (OR) for CAC and FRS was the highest in the group with both abnormalities [men: 1.61 (1.13–2.30) for CACS > 0 and 5.86 (3.37–10.20) for FRS ≥ 10%; women: 2.17 (1.13–4.16) for CACS > 0 and 6.31 (2.08–19.10) for FRS ≥ 10%]. In men, the OR of NAFLD was higher than that of AO [1.37 (1.03–1.83) vs. 1.35 (1.02–1.79) for CACS > 0, 3.26 (2.13–4.98) vs. 2.97 (1.91–4.62) for FRS ≥ 10%]. However, women with AO consistently showed increased OR for CACS > 0 [1.87 (1.11–3.16)] and FRS ≥ 10% [4.77 (2.01–11.34)].ConclusionThe degree of association of NAFLD and AO with CAC and FRS depends on the gender. NAFLD is more closely associated with CACS > 0 and FRS ≥ 10% in men and AO in women, respectively. NAFLD and AO could be considered independent determinants of CAC and FRS by gender.

Total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol as predictors of coronary artery calcification assessed by multidetector computed tomography coronary angiography.

Coronary artery calcification (CAC) is an important marker of total burden of coronary atherosclerosis. Furthermore, it is a measure of subclinical atherosclerotic disease that correlates well with the cardiovascular risk. The aim of our study was to determine the role of the different lipid parameters in prediction of calcification in coronary arteries using multidetector computed tomography (MDCT). This study was conducted on 120 patients presenting to the clinic with typical or atypical chest pain or dyspnea on exertion, or equivocal stress test results along with standard cardiac risk factors; they all underwent computed tomography (CT) coronary angiography. A total calcium score was determined by summing individual lesion scores from each of our anatomic sites: left main (LM), left anterior descending (LAD), left circumflex (LCX), and right coronary artery (RCA). The amount of calcium present in the coronary arteries was scored according to Agatston score, and patients were divided into 2 groups based on absence (group I) and presence (group II) of CAC. Clinical characteristics, lipid ratios, and a full blood count were calculated and compared between both groups. Mean and standard deviation (SD) for age of group I was 52.4 ± 8.4 years, while that of group II was 53.7 ± 7.9 (P > 0.005). Patients in group II had a higher total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), TC/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and LDL/HDL-C ratio, and lower HDL levels. TC/HDL ratio and LDL/HDL ratio were found to be good predictors of calcium using a regression analysis model. Finally, at a cut-off value of ≥ 3.108, LDL/HDL ratio showed a sensitivity of 58.8% and specificity of 84.6% in prediction of coronary calcium, while TC/HDL ratio ≥ 4.742 showed a sensitivity of 60.3% and specificity of 88.5%. Amongst the different lipid parameters, TC/HDL-C and LDL/HDL ratio were found to be good predictors of presence of CAC in coronary arteries.

Abstract P041: Increases In Low-density Lipoprotein Subclasses During The Menopause Transition Are Associated With Greater Risk Of Coronary Calcification And Carotid Atherosclerosis: The SWAN HDL Study

Objectives: Increase in LDL-C occurs within 1 year of the final menstrual period (FMP), and this increase has been linked to a greater plaque risk. LDL subclasses have been linked to CAD beyond LDL-C, promising a better risk stratification. We aim to characterize changes in LDL subclasses over the menopause transition (MT) and assess associations of these changes with presence of coronary artery calcification (CAC Agatston score ≥10) and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), and test the effect modification of time relative to FMP on these associations. Design: Midlife women with nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy LDL subclasses measured over the MT for a maximum of 5 timepoints were included (n=471; baseline age 50.19 ± 2.7 years; 81.0% Pre-/Early perimenopausal). A subset of women had CAC and cIMT measured for a maximum of 2 timepoints (n=221). LOESS plots were used to characterize changes in LDL subclasses over the MT in the full sample. Inflection points identified from the LOESS plots suggested timing of changes in slope (Figure). Linear mixed effect models or generalized estimating equation was used for analysis. Effect modification by time relative to FMP was tested. Results: All LDL metrics increased around the FMP except for Intermediate LDL Particles (IDL-P), which declined (Figure). Higher total LDL particles (LDL-P) and greater ApoB independently associated with higher CAC prevalence and greater cIMT. Although none of the associations of LDL metrics with cIMT or CAC were modified by time relative to FMP, higher LDL-C, ApoB and total LDL-P were associated with higher cIMT during peri- or postmenopausal stages (Table), while higher LDL-C, small LDL-P and large LDL-P were associated with greater CAC prevalence, mainly during perimenopause stage in adjusted models (Table). Conclusions: During the MT women experience significant increases in LDL subclasses found to be related to greater cIMT levels and CAC prevalence. Monitoring LDL subclasses over the MT may help in identifying women at greater risk for future CAD.

The New Era of Retinal Imaging in Hypertensive Patients.

Structural and functional alterations in the microcirculation by systemic hypertension can cause significant organ damage at the eye, heart, brain, and kidneys. As the retina is the only tissue in the body that allows direct imaging of small vessels, the relationship of hypertensive retinopathy signs with development of disease states in other organs have been extensively studied; large-scale epidemiological studies using fundus photography and advanced semi-automated analysis software have reported the association of retinopathy signs with hypertensive end-organ damage includes the following: stroke, dementia, and coronary heart disease. Although yielding much useful information, the vessels assessed from fundus photographs remain limited to the larger retinal arterioles and venules, and abnormalities observed may not be that of the earliest changes. Newer imaging modalities such as optical coherence tomography angiography and adaptive optics technology, which allow a greater precision in the structural quantification of retinal vessels, including capillaries, may facilitate the assessment and management of these patients. The advent of deep learning technology has also augmented the utility of fundus photographs to help create diagnostic and risk stratification systems. Particularly, deep learning systems have been shown in several large studies to be able to predict multiple cardiovascular risk factors, major adverse cardiovascular events within 5 years, and presence of coronary artery calcium, from fundus photographs alone. In the future, combining deep learning systems with the imaging precision offered by optical coherence tomography angiography and adaptive optics could pave way for systems that are able to predict adverse clinical outcomes even more accurately.

Breast arterial calcifications on mammography: a new marker of cardiovascular risk in asymptomatic middle age women?

To determine whether breast arterial calcification (BAC) detected on mammography can predict the presence of coronary artery calcification (CAC) on CT in women. Women explored with both mammography and thoracic CT from 2009 to 2018 were retrospectively included. Women were separated in 3 categories (no BAC, few BAC, and marked BAC) using a specific 12-point scale. Similar scale was used to evaluate the amount of CAC on CT. The mean sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and diagnostic accuracy of BAC for the detection of CAC were calculated. Statistical significance was assessed with Pearson's chi-squared test and Fisher's exact test as appropriate. A total of 507 women (mean age: 62 years ± 16) were included. Patients with high amount of BAC were older (72 ± 11 vs. 59 ± 15 years old; p < .0001), were more frequently hypertensive (66% vs. 31%; p < .0001), and had more frequently renal failure (21% vs. 6%; p < .0003) than patients without BAC. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and diagnostic accuracy of BAC for the detection of women with marked CAC were 53.1%, 87.6%, 55.0%, 86.7%, and 79.9%, respectively. The highest diagnostic accuracy was obtained in patients under 60 years: 84.2% for detection of CAC and 93.2% for detection of women with marked CAC. The presence of BAC on mammography was linked to the presence of CAC and may be used as a cardiovascular marker in patient less than 60 years. • The diagnostic accuracy of breast arterial calcification (BAC) to detect the presence of coronary artery calcification (CAC) was 70.4% and reached to 79.9% to detect women with high amount of CAC. • Highest diagnostic accuracy of BAC to detect CAC (93.2%) was noticed in women under 60 years. • The presence of BAC on mammography may be used as a cardiovascular risk marker in women, especially under 60 years.

PDAY risk score predicts cardiovascular events in young adults: the CARDIA study.

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk prediction equations apply to older adults. For this study, the Pathobiologic Determinants of Atherosclerosis in Youth (PDAY) risk score, based on post-mortem measurements of atherosclerosis in 15-34-year olds dying accidentally, was used to predict ASCVD events, specifically myocardial infarction and revascularization, in middle age, from risk measured at ≤40 years of age. The Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study (CARDIA) collected longitudinal cardiovascular risk data, coronary artery calcium (CAC) scores, and ASCVD data beginning at age 18 and 30 years with 30-year follow-up. Predictive accuracy for ASCVD of the PDAY risk score, calculated at baseline (mean age 24) and at all six CARDIA examinations up until year 15, was examined. We also examined whether the presence of CAC improved model discrimination. The cohort for this study comprised 5004 Black and White men and women, at baseline and 3558 with data at year 15. Each standard deviation increase in PDAY score, at each examination, was significantly associated with future ASCVD. Hazard ratios (per standard deviation) increased from 1.74 to 2.04 from year 0 to year 15. C-statistics ranged from 0.771 to 0.794. Coronary artery calcium measurement at age 33-45 years improved risk prediction only if the score was 0. Cumulative risk exposure over the first 15 years of the CARDIA study also had high-predictive value (c-statistic 0.798, 95% confidence interval 0.762-0.835). The PDAY risk score may be used in young adults, prior to age 40 years to predict ASCVD events.