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Identifying Coronary Artery Calcification on Non-gated Computed Tomography Scans
Published on: August 28, 2018
The Association Between Blood Lead Levels and Coronary Artery Calcium Score Determined by Using Coronary Computed
Eunyoung Park1, Suwhan Kim1, Seunghyeon Cho2
1Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School and Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun, Korea.
Insights
Elevated blood lead levels (BLLs) are linked to increased coronary artery calcification (CAC) in the general population. Reducing environmental lead exposure is crucial for preventing cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Cardiovascular Disease Research
- Biomarker Analysis
Background:
- Lead exposure is a recognized risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD).
- Coronary artery calcification (CAC) serves as a key diagnostic biomarker for atherosclerotic CVD.
- This study examines the relationship between blood lead levels (BLLs) and CAC.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between blood lead level (BLL) and coronary artery calcification (CAC).
- To determine if BLL is a predictor of CAC in a general population sample without pre-existing CVD.
Main Methods:
- 2,189 participants from the general population without CVD history or symptoms were enrolled.
- Coronary computed tomography (CT) angiography was used to assess CAC.
- Health examinations and blood lead level (BLL) testing were conducted for all participants.
Main Results:
- A statistically significant positive correlation was found between coronary artery calcium score (CACS) and BLL (r = 0.073, P < 0.001).
- Mean BLLs increased with higher categories of CAC, with severe CAC showing the highest mean BLL (3.22 ± 1.68 μg/dL).
- An increase of 1 μg/dL in BLL was associated with an odds ratio of 1.242 for severe CAC (P = 0.042).
Conclusions:
- A positive correlation exists between BLL and CAC in individuals without CVD.
- Findings suggest that minimizing environmental lead exposure is important for reducing the public health burden of CVD.
Background:
Lead exposure is a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), and coronary artery calcification (CAC) is a biomarker for diagnosing atherosclerotic CVD. This study investigated the association between blood lead level (BLL) and CAC using coronary computed tomography (CT) angiography.
Methods:
This study enrolled 2,189 participants from the general population with no history or symptoms of CVD. All participants underwent coronary CT angiography, health examination, and BLL testing. The association between coronary artery calcium score (CACS) and BLL was analyzed.
Results:
The arithmetic mean of BLL was 2.71 ± 1.26 μg/dL, and the geometric mean was 2.42 (1.64) μg/dL, ranging from 0.12 to 10.14 μg/dL. There was a statistically significant positive correlation between CACS and BLL (r = 0.073, P < 0.001). Mean BLLs among predefined CACS categories were as follows: absent grade (CACS = 0), 2.67 ± 1.23 μg/dL; minimal grade (> 0, < 10), 2.81 ± 1.25 μg/dL; mild grade (≥ 10, < 100), 2.74 ± 1.29 μg/dL; moderate grade (≥ 100, < 400), 2.88 ± 1.38 μg/dL; severe grade (≥ 400): 3.22 ± 1.68 μg/dL. The odds ratio for severe CAC was 1.242 in association with an 1 μg/dL increase in BLL (P = 0.042).
Conclusion:
Using coronary CT angiography, we determined a positive correlation between BLL and CAC among participants without CVD from the general population. To reduce the burden of CVD, efforts and policies should be geared toward minimizing environmental lead exposure.
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