RESEARCH - Coronary calcification predicts future cardiac events in asymptomatic subjects

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Coronary calcification predicts future cardiac events in asymptomatic

subjects

By Reuters Health

January 15, 2008

NEW YORK (Reuters Health), Jan 15 - The determination of coronary

calcifications may help identify asymptomatic patients at risk for future MI

or cardiac death, according to findings published in the January issue of

the American Heart Journal.

Dr. Becker and colleagues from Ludwig-Maximilians-University,

Munich, Germany, examined the predictive value of coronary calcifications

for future cardiovascular events in 1,726 asymptomatic individuals (1,018

men and 708 women, mean age 57.7 years) referred for a cardiologic

examination.

The team used electron beam computed tomography to determine coronary

calcifications, and calculated the Agatston score for quantification of

coronary calcifications. The event rate for cardiac death and MI was

recorded over a mean observation period of 40.3 months.

Coronary calcifications could be excluded in 379 subjects. A total of 724

patients showed an Agatston score above the 75th percentile.

Cardiac death occurred in 66 patients (0.9% annualized rate) and 114

patients had an MI (1.6% annualized rate).

No cardiac events were observed in patients with exclusion of coronary

calcifications.

An Agatston score above the 75th percentile was associated with

significantly higher annualized rates for all events, coronary

revascularization, MI, and cardiac death.

The investigators also compared the results with risk models based on

conventional risk factor stratification: the 10-year risk of coronary events

calculated according to the Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III risk), the

PROCAM study, and the ESC score project.

Dr. Becker's team found that " the Agatston score showed a higher diagnostic

accuracy in predicting MI compared with ATP III risk score and PROCAM

score. "

Last Updated: 2008-01-14 17:58:11 -0400 (Reuters Health)

Am Heart J 2008;155:154-160.

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