Long-term all-cause mortality among asymptomatic individuals with 80th percentile of coronary calcium score based on age and gender in the St. Francis Heart Study.

Objectives: High coronary artery calcium score (CAC) is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. We investigated the long-term outcome of subjects with elevated CAC.

Methods: We studied 1005 participants of The St.

Collective impact of conventional cardiovascular risk factors and coronary calcium score on clinical outcomes with or without statin therapy: The St Francis Heart Study.

Background And Aims: The efficacy of statin therapy remains unknown in patients eligible for statin therapy with and without elevated coronary calcium score (CAC). The study sought to evaluate how cardiovascular risk factors, expressed in terms of statin eligibility for primary prevention, and CAC modify clinical outcomes with and without statin therapy.

Methods: We conducted a post-hoc analysis of the St.

Coronary artery calcification score as tool for risk assessment among families with premature coronary artery disease.

Introduction: There is discussion about incorporating a family history (FamHis) of premature coronary artery disease (CAD) in risk score algorithms. However, FamHis provides information on individual risk. Coronary artery calcification score (CACS) is a metric of atherosclerosis that may determine the individual risk within families at high risk of premature CAD.

High dose and long-term statin therapy accelerate coronary artery calcification.

Background: In randomized clinical trials statins and placebo treated patients showed the same degree of coronary artery calcium (CAC) progression. We reanalyzed data from two clinical trials to further investigate the time and dose dependent effects of statins on CAC. Additionally, we investigated whether CAC progression was associated with incident cardiovascular events.

Abdominal aortic calcium, coronary artery calcium, and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

Objective: To evaluate the predictive value of abdominal aortic calcium (AAC) for incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) independent of coronary artery calcium (CAC).

Approach And Results: We evaluated the association of AAC with CVD in 1974 men and women aged 45 to 84 years randomly selected from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis participants who had complete AAC and CAC data from computed tomographic scans. AAC and CAC were each divided into following 3 percentile categories: 0 to 50th, 51st to 75th, and 76th to 100th.

The natural history of coronary calcification: a meta-analysis from St Francis and EBEAT trials.

Background And Aim: Coronary artery calcium score (CACs) is an established quantitative tool for assessing subclinical atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to assess in a meta-analysis model the natural history and reproducibility of CACs measurements obtained from St Francis and EBEAT trials.

Methods: We analysed data from 649 individuals: 443 on placebo with 2 year follow-up from St Francis trial (Study A) and 209 on 10 mg atorvastatin with 1 year follow-up of EBEAT trial (Study B).

Progression of coronary calcium and incident coronary heart disease events: MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis).

Objectives: The study examined whether progression of coronary artery calcium (CAC) is a predictor of future coronary heart disease (CHD) events.

Background: CAC predicts CHD events and serial measurement of CAC has been proposed to evaluate atherosclerosis progression.

Methods: We studied 6,778 persons (52.

Metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and incidence and progression of coronary calcium: the Multiethnic Study of Atherosclerosis study.

Objectives: This study sought to examine and compare the incidence and progression of coronary artery calcium (CAC) among persons with metabolic syndrome (MetS) and diabetes mellitus (DM) versus those with neither condition.

Background: MetS and DM are associated with subclinical atherosclerosis as evidenced by CAC.

Methods: The MESA (Multiethnic Study of Atherosclerosis) included 6,814 African American, Asian, Caucasian, and Hispanic adults 45 to 84 years of age, who were free of cardiovascular disease at baseline.

Asymptomatic individuals with a positive family history for premature coronary artery disease and elevated coronary calcium scores benefit from statin treatment: a post hoc analysis from the St. Francis Heart Study.

Objectives: The goal of this study was to evaluate whether individuals with a positive family history for premature coronary artery disease (CAD) and coronary calcium scoring (CCS) above the 80th percentile might benefit from preventive treatment.

Background: First-degree relatives of patients with premature CAD have an increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD), whereas events are poorly predicted in these individuals. Surrogate markers, such as CCS, might refine risk scoring.

Atorvastatin and antioxidants for the treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: the St Francis Heart Study randomized clinical trial.

Objectives: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is defined as the spectrum of benign fatty liver to necroinflammation and fibrosis. Its prevalence has been found to be as high as 39%. It is estimated that up to 15% of those affected will go on to have progressive liver disease.

Coronary artery calcium score and risk classification for coronary heart disease prediction.

Context: The coronary artery calcium score (CACS) has been shown to predict future coronary heart disease (CHD) events. However, the extent to which adding CACS to traditional CHD risk factors improves classification of risk is unclear.

Objective: To determine whether adding CACS to a prediction model based on traditional risk factors improves classification of risk.

Coronary calcium coverage score: determination, correlates, and predictive accuracy in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

Purpose: To develop a new calcium score for use with unenhanced cardiac computed tomography (CT) that can be used to define the percentage of coronary arteries affected by calcium and to correlate this score with risk factors and cardiovascular events.

Materials And Methods: Institutional review boards at all participating centers approved this HIPAA-compliant study, and all participants gave written informed consent. Calcium coverage score (CCS), which represents the percentage of coronary arteries affected by calcific plaque, was calculated for 3252 participants in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis in whom calcific plaque was detected with CT.

Coronary calcium as a predictor of coronary events in four racial or ethnic groups.

Background: In white populations, computed tomographic measurements of coronary-artery calcium predict coronary heart disease independently of traditional coronary risk factors. However, it is not known whether coronary-artery calcium predicts coronary heart disease in other racial or ethnic groups.

Methods: We collected data on risk factors and performed scanning for coronary calcium in a population-based sample of 6722 men and women, of whom 38.

Treatment of asymptomatic adults with elevated coronary calcium scores with atorvastatin, vitamin C, and vitamin E: the St. Francis Heart Study randomized clinical trial.

Objectives: We sought to determine whether lipid-lowering therapy and antioxidants retard the progression of coronary calcification and prevent atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) events.

Background: The electron beam computed tomography-derived coronary calcium score predicts coronary disease events. Small, uncontrolled studies suggest that vigorous lipid-lowering therapy slows progression of coronary calcification and prevents coronary artery disease events, but controlled, scientific demonstration of these effects is lacking.

Coronary calcification, coronary disease risk factors, C-reactive protein, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease events: the St. Francis Heart Study.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the prognostic accuracy of electron beam computed tomographic (CT) scanning of the coronary arteries and the relationship of coronary calcification to standard coronary disease risk factors and C-reactive protein (CRP) in the prediction of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) events in apparently healthy middle-age persons.

Background: As a screening test for coronary artery disease (CAD), electron beam CT scanning remains controversial.

Methods: In a prospective, population-based study, 4,903 asymptomatic persons age 50 to 70 years underwent electron beam CT scanning of the coronary arteries.

Ethnic differences in coronary calcification: the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA).

Background: There is substantial evidence that coronary calcification, a marker for the presence and quantity of coronary atherosclerosis, is higher in US whites than blacks; however, there have been no large population-based studies comparing coronary calcification among US ethnic groups.

Methods And Results: Using computed tomography, we measured coronary calcification in 6814 white, black, Hispanic, and Chinese men and women aged 45 to 84 years with no clinical cardiovascular disease who participated in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). The prevalence of coronary calcification (Agatston score >0) in these 4 ethnic groups was 70.

Continuous probabilistic prediction of angiographically significant coronary artery disease using electron beam tomography.

Background: We sought to incorporate electron beam tomography-derived calcium scores in a model for prediction of angiographically significant coronary artery disease (CAD). Such a model could greatly facilitate clinical triage in symptomatic patients with no known CAD.

Methods And Results: We examined 1851 patients with suspected CAD who underwent coronary angiography for clinical indications.