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Progression of coronary artery calcification: a pilot study
J E Maher1, L F Bielak, J A Raz
1Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA.
Objective:
To describe individual changes in the quantity of coronary artery calcification (CAC) measured by electron beam computed tomography (CT) and determine the rate of change in the quantity of CAC during a 3.5-year period.
Material And Methods:
Eighty-eight consecutive participants (51 men at least 30 years of age and 37 women at least 40 years of age) from a community-based CAC study were invited for a follow-up examination. Established coronary artery disease risk factors were studied at baseline. CAC score was measured by electron beam CT at baseline and follow-up.
Results:
Of the 88 invited participants, 82 (93%) returned for a follow-up examination. Considerable variation existed among the participants in the extent of CAC score change. On average, CAC score increased over time by an estimated 24% each year (P<0.05). The relative increase in CAC score over time was significantly lower for older than for younger participants but did not vary significantly by sex.
Conclusion:
The ability to recruit follow-up participants in this pilot study and to detect significant change in CAC score over time provides evidence that electron beam CT is useful for studying progression of CAC in a sample and may be a valuable procedure for assessing the effectiveness of clinical interventions designed to retard progression of coronary atherosclerosis.