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Updated: Aug 5, 2026

Identifying Coronary Artery Calcification on Non-gated Computed Tomography Scans
04:40

Identifying Coronary Artery Calcification on Non-gated Computed Tomography Scans

Published on: August 28, 2018

Serum total bile acids are associated with coronary artery calcification as assessed by non-gated chest computed

Yuxuan Tong1, Xiao Chen2, Dongdong Wang1

  • 1Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Hospital affiliated with Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.

Archives of Medical Science : AMS
|August 1, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Higher serum total bile acid (TBA) levels are linked to increased coronary artery calcification (CAC) risk in the general Chinese population. This finding suggests a potential connection between bile acids and cardiovascular disease development.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Biochemistry
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Coronary artery calcification (CAC) is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD).
  • The potential role of serum total bile acid (TBA) concentration as a mediator between gut microbiota and CVD has been proposed but not extensively studied.
  • Investigating the association between TBA and CAC is crucial for understanding CVD pathogenesis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the relationship between serum total bile acid (TBA) concentration and the prevalence of coronary artery calcification (CAC) in a general Chinese population.
  • To determine if elevated TBA levels are independently associated with an increased risk of CAC.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 2133 participants who underwent CT scans.
  • Data on demographics, medical history, and laboratory results were collected.
  • CAC was assessed using non-gated chest CT images, and multivariable logistic regression and restricted triple spline analyses were employed to evaluate the correlation between TBA and CAC risk.

Main Results:

  • CAC was detected in 426 (19.97%) participants.
  • A higher prevalence of CAC was observed in participants with elevated TBA concentrations (33.4% in the fourth quartile vs. 11.5% in the first quartile, p < 0.001).
  • Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed a significant association between TBA and CAC (OR = 1.05, 95% CI: 1.00-1.10). The highest TBA quartile showed a significantly higher incidence of CAC in the general population, older adults, and individuals without diabetes or hypertension compared to the lowest quartile.

Conclusions:

  • A substantial and positive correlation exists between elevated serum total bile acid (TBA) levels and coronary artery calcification (CAC).
  • These findings suggest that TBA may play a role in the development of atherosclerosis.
  • Further longitudinal studies are warranted to investigate the causal relationship between TBA and CAC risk.
Abstract

Keywords:
coronary artery calcificationnon-gated chest computed tomographytotal bile acids

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