1
|
Garg PK, Bhatia HS, Allen TS, Grainger T, Pouncey AL, Dichek D, Virmani R, Golledge J, Allison MA, Powell JT. Assessment of Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Asymptomatic People In Vivo: Measurements Suitable for Biomarker and Mendelian Randomization Studies. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2024; 44:24-47. [PMID: 38150519 PMCID: PMC10753091 DOI: 10.1161/atvbaha.123.320138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND One strategy to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease is the early detection and treatment of atherosclerosis. This has led to significant interest in studies of subclinical atherosclerosis, using different phenotypes, not all of which are accurate reflections of the presence of asymptomatic atherosclerotic plaques. The aim of part 2 of this series is to provide a review of the existing literature on purported measures of subclinical disease and recommendations concerning which tests may be appropriate in the prevention of incident cardiovascular disease. METHODS We conducted a critical review of measurements used to infer the presence of subclinical atherosclerosis in the major conduit arteries and focused on the predictive value of these tests for future cardiovascular events, independent of conventional cardiovascular risk factors, in asymptomatic people. The emphasis was on studies with >10 000 person-years of follow-up, with meta-analysis of results reporting adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% CIs. The arterial territories were limited to carotid, coronary, aorta, and lower limb arteries. RESULTS In the carotid arteries, the presence of plaque (8 studies) was independently associated with future stroke (pooled HR, 1.89 [1.04-3.44]) and cardiac events (7 studies), with a pooled HR, 1.77 (1.19-2.62). Increased coronary artery calcium (5 studies) was associated with the risk of coronary heart disease events, pooled HR, 1.54 (1.07-2.07) and increasing severity of calcification (by Agaston score) was associated with escalation of risk (13 studies). An ankle/brachial index (ABI) of <0.9, the pooled HR for cardiovascular death from 7 studies was 2.01 (1.43-2.81). There were insufficient studies of either, thoracic or aortic calcium, aortic diameter, or femoral plaque to synthesize the data based on consistent reporting of these measures. CONCLUSIONS The presence of carotid plaque, coronary artery calcium, or abnormal ankle pressures seems to be a valid indicator of the presence of subclinical atherosclerosis and may be considered for use in biomarker, Mendelian randomization and similar studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Parveen K Garg
- Division of Cardiology, University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles (G.P.)
| | - Harpreet S Bhatia
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of California San Diego (B.H., A.T., A.M.A.)
| | - Tara S Allen
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of California San Diego (B.H., A.T., A.M.A.)
| | - Tabitha Grainger
- Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London (G.T., P.A.-L., P.J.T.)
| | - Anna L Pouncey
- Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London (G.T., P.A.-L., P.J.T.)
| | - David Dichek
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle (D.D.)
| | | | - Jonathan Golledge
- Queensland Research Centre for Peripheral Vascular Disease, James Cook University and Townsville University Hospital, Australia (G.J.)
| | - Matthew A Allison
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of California San Diego (B.H., A.T., A.M.A.)
| | - Janet T Powell
- Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London (G.T., P.A.-L., P.J.T.)
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Razavi AC, Kim C, van Assen M, De Cecco CN, Berman DS, Budoff MJ, Quyyumi AA, Vaccarino V, Miedema MD, Nasir K, Rozanski A, Fernandez C, Rumberger JA, Shaw LJ, Mortensen MB, Wong ND, Blumenthal RS, Sperling LS, Whelton SP, Blaha MJ, Dzaye O. Thoracic Aortic Calcium Density and Area in Long-Term Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk Among Men Versus Women. Circ Cardiovasc Imaging 2023; 16:e015690. [PMID: 38054290 PMCID: PMC10841590 DOI: 10.1161/circimaging.123.015690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The development of thoracic aortic calcium (TAC) temporally precedes coronary artery calcium more often in women versus men. Whether TAC density and area confer sex-specific differences in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk is unknown. METHODS We studied 5317 primary prevention patients who underwent coronary artery calcium scoring on noncontrast cardiac gated computed tomography with TAC >0. The Agatston TAC score (Agatston units), density (Hounsfield units), and area (mm2) were compared between men and women. Cox proportional hazards regression calculated adjusted hazard ratios for TAC density-area groups with ASCVD mortality, adjusting for traditional risk factors, coronary artery calcium, and TAC. Multinomial logistic regression calculated adjusted odds ratios for the association between traditional risk factors and TAC density-area groups. RESULTS The mean age was 60.7 years, 38% were women, and 163 ASCVD deaths occurred over a median of 11.7-year follow-up. Women had higher median TAC scores (97 versus 84 Agatston units; P=0.004), density (223 versus 210 Hounsfield units; P<0.001), and area (37 versus 32 mm2; P=0.006) compared with men. There was a stepwise higher incidence of ASCVD deaths across increasing TAC density-area groups in men though women with low TAC density relative to TAC area (3.6 per 1000 person-years) had survival probability commensurate with the high-density-high-area group (4.8 per 1000 person-years). Compared with low TAC density-area, low TAC density/high TAC area conferred a 3.75-fold higher risk of ASCVD mortality in women (adjusted hazard ratio, 3.75 [95% CI, 1.13-12.44]) but not in men (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.16 [95% CI, 0.48-2.84]). Risk factors most strongly associated with low TAC density/high TAC area differed in women (diabetes: adjusted odds ratio, 2.61 [95% CI, 1.34-5.07]) versus men (hypertension: adjusted odds ratio, 1.45 [95% CI, 1.11-1.90]). CONCLUSIONS TAC density-area phenotypes do not consistently associate with ASCVD mortality though low TAC density relative to area may be a marker of increased ASCVD risk in women.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexander C. Razavi
- Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Translational Laboratory for Cardiothoracic Imaging and Artificial Intelligence, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Cherry Kim
- Translational Laboratory for Cardiothoracic Imaging and Artificial Intelligence, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Department of Radiology, Korea University College of Medicine, Ansan Hospital, 123, Jeokgeum-ro, Danwon-gu, Ansan-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
| | - Marly van Assen
- Translational Laboratory for Cardiothoracic Imaging and Artificial Intelligence, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Carlo N. De Cecco
- Translational Laboratory for Cardiothoracic Imaging and Artificial Intelligence, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Daniel S. Berman
- Department of Imaging, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Matthew J. Budoff
- Lundquist Institute, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA, United States
| | - Arshed A. Quyyumi
- Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Michael D. Miedema
- Minneapolis Heart Institute and Foundation, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Khurram Nasir
- Division of Cardiovascular Prevention and Wellness, Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Alan Rozanski
- Division of Cardiology, Mount Sinai, St Luke’s Hospital, New York, NY, United States
| | - Camilo Fernandez
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | | | - Leslee J. Shaw
- Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | | | - Nathan D. Wong
- Heart Disease Prevention Program, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Roger S. Blumenthal
- Johns Hopkins Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Laurence S. Sperling
- Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Seamus P. Whelton
- Johns Hopkins Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Michael J. Blaha
- Johns Hopkins Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Omar Dzaye
- Johns Hopkins Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Razavi AC, Agatston AS, Shaw LJ, De Cecco CN, van Assen M, Sperling LS, Bittencourt MS, Daubert MA, Nasir K, Blumenthal RS, Mortensen MB, Whelton SP, Blaha MJ, Dzaye O. Evolving Role of Calcium Density in Coronary Artery Calcium Scoring and Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk. JACC Cardiovasc Imaging 2022; 15:1648-1662. [PMID: 35861969 PMCID: PMC9908416 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmg.2022.02.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Coronary artery calcium (CAC) is a specific marker of coronary atherosclerosis that can be used to measure calcified subclinical atherosclerotic burden. The Agatston method is the most widely used scoring algorithm for quantifying CAC and is expressed as the product of total calcium area and a quantized peak calcium density weighting factor defined by the calcification attenuation in HU on noncontrast computed tomography. Calcium density has emerged as an important area of inquiry because the Agatston score is upweighted based on the assumption that peak calcium density and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk are positively correlated. However, recent evidence demonstrates that calcium density is inversely associated with lesion vulnerability and ASCVD risk in population-based cohorts when accounting for age and plaque area. Here, we review calcium density by focusing on 3 main areas: 1) CAC scan acquisition parameters; 2) pathophysiology of calcified plaques; and 3) epidemiologic evidence relating calcium density to ASCVD outcomes. Through this process, we hope to provide further insight into the evolution of CAC scoring on noncontrast computed tomography.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexander C Razavi
- Johns Hopkins Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Emory Center for Heart Disease Prevention, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Translational Laboratory for Cardiothoracic Imaging and Artificial Intelligence, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Arthur S Agatston
- Department of Medicine, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Leslee J Shaw
- Blavatnik Family Women's Health Research Institute, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Carlo N De Cecco
- Translational Laboratory for Cardiothoracic Imaging and Artificial Intelligence, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Marly van Assen
- Translational Laboratory for Cardiothoracic Imaging and Artificial Intelligence, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Laurence S Sperling
- Emory Center for Heart Disease Prevention, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Marcio S Bittencourt
- Heart and Vascular Institute, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Melissa A Daubert
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Khurram Nasir
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Prevention and Wellness, Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart and Vascular Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Roger S Blumenthal
- Johns Hopkins Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Martin Bødtker Mortensen
- Johns Hopkins Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Department of Cardiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Seamus P Whelton
- Johns Hopkins Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Michael J Blaha
- Johns Hopkins Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Omar Dzaye
- Johns Hopkins Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Sweeney T, Ogunmoroti O, Ndumele CE, Zhao D, Varma B, Allison MA, Budoff MJ, Fashanu OE, Sharma A, Bertoni AG, Michos ED. Associations of adipokine levels with the prevalence and extent of valvular and thoracic aortic calcification: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). Atherosclerosis 2021; 338:15-22. [PMID: 34785427 PMCID: PMC8665862 DOI: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2021.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2021] [Revised: 10/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Extra-coronary calcification (ECC) is a marker of atherosclerosis and independently associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Adipokines may mediate the effect of obesity on atherosclerosis. However, the relationship of adipokines with ECC is not well-established. We examined the associations of leptin, resistin and adiponectin with ECC in a diverse community-based cohort. METHODS We performed a cross-sectional analysis of 1897 adults without clinical CVD in the MESA cohort. Serum adipokine levels and non-contrast cardiac CT scans were obtained at Exam 2 or 3 (randomly assigned). ECC was quantified by Agatston score and included calcification of the mitral annulus (MAC), aortic valve (AVC), ascending thoracic aorta (ATAC) and descending thoracic aorta (DTAC). We used multivariable regression to evaluate the associations between leptin, resistin and adiponectin [per 1 SD ln(adipokine] with ECC prevalence (score >0) and extent [ln(score+1)]. RESULTS The mean age of participants was 65 ± 10 years; 49% women. After adjusting for demographic factors, adiponectin was inversely associated with AVC prevalence and extent; leptin positively associated with MAC prevalence and extent; and resistin positively associated with ATAC prevalence and extent and DTAC extent. After adjustment for BMI and other CVD risk factors, adiponectin remained inversely associated with AVC prevalence, and resistin remained associated with greater ATAC prevalence and extent. Leptin was not associated with measures of ECC after full adjustment. No adipokine was associated with MAC after full adjustment. CONCLUSIONS We identified significant associations between select adipokines and specific markers of ECC. Adipokines may play a role in the development of systemic atherosclerosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ty Sweeney
- Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Oluseye Ogunmoroti
- Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Chiadi E Ndumele
- Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Di Zhao
- Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Bhavya Varma
- Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Matthew A Allison
- Department of Family Medicine, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Apurva Sharma
- Icahn School of Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Alain G Bertoni
- Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC, USA
| | - Erin D Michos
- Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Obisesan OH, Osei AD, Berman D, Dardari ZA, Uddin SMI, Dzaye O, Orimoloye OA, Budoff MJ, Miedema MD, Rumberger J, Mirbolouk M, Boakye E, Johansen MC, Rozanski A, Shaw LJ, Han D, Nasir K, Blaha MJ. Thoracic Aortic Calcium for the Prediction of Stroke Mortality (from the Coronary Artery Calcium Consortium). Am J Cardiol 2021; 148:16-21. [PMID: 33667445 PMCID: PMC8113160 DOI: 10.1016/j.amjcard.2021.02.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Thoracic aortic calcium(TAC) is an important marker of extracoronary atherosclerosis with established predictive value for all-cause mortality. We sought to explore the predictive value of TAC for stroke mortality, independent of the more established coronary artery calcium (CAC) score. The CAC Consortium is a retrospectively assembled database of 66,636 patients aged ≥18 years with no previous history of cardiovascular disease, baseline CAC scans for risk stratification, and follow-up for 12 ± 4 years. CAC scans capture the adjacent thoracic aorta, enabling assessment of TAC from the same images. TAC was available in 41,066 (62%), and was primarily analyzed as present or not present. To account for competing risks for nonstroke death, we utilized multivariable-adjusted Fine and Gray competing risk regression models adjusted for traditional cardiovascular risk factors and CAC score. The mean age of participants was 53.8 ± 10.3 years, with 34.4% female. There were 110 stroke deaths during follow-up. The unadjusted subdistribution hazard ratio (SHR) for stroke mortality in those who had TAC present compared with those who did not was 8.80 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 5.97, 12.98). After adjusting for traditional risk factors and CAC score, the SHR was 2.21 (95% CI:1.39,3.49). In sex-stratified analyses, the fully adjusted SHR for females was 3.42 (95% CI: 1.74, 6.73) while for males it was 1.55 (95% CI: 0.83, 2.90). TAC was associated with stroke mortality independent of CAC and traditional risk factors, more so in women. The presence of TAC appears to be an independent risk marker for stroke mortality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Albert D Osei
- Medstar Union Memorial Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland
| | | | - Zeina A Dardari
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | | | - Omar Dzaye
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | | | - Matthew J Budoff
- Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | | | | | | | - Ellen Boakye
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | | | - Alan Rozanski
- Division of Cardiology, Mount Sinai St. Luke's Hospital, New York
| | | | - Donghee Han
- Department of Imaging, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | | | - Michael J Blaha
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Segmental Evaluation of Thoracic Aortic Calcium and Their Relations with Cardiovascular Risk Factors in the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil). Cells 2021; 10:cells10051243. [PMID: 34070075 PMCID: PMC8158124 DOI: 10.3390/cells10051243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Revised: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Thoracic aortic calcium (TAC) appears to be a subclinical marker of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and to predict cardiovascular (CV) mortality. However, studies on TAC use tomographic scans obtained for coronary artery calcium (CAC) score, which does not include the aortic arch. This study evaluates TAC prevalence in aortic arch (AAC), ascending (ATAC) and descending thoracic aorta (DTAC) and verify whether they are associated with the same CV risk factors. Cross-sectional analysis, including 2427 participants (mean age 55.6 ± 8.7; 54.1% women) of the ELSA-Brasil cohort. Nonenhanced ECG-gated tomographies were performed in 2015–2016. Multivariable logistic regression estimated the CV risk factors associated with calcium in each segment. Overall prevalence of ATAC, AAC and DTAC was, 23.1%, 62.1%, and 31.2%, respectively. About 90.4% of the individuals with TAC had AAC and only 19.5% had calcium in all segments. In the multivariable analysis, increasing age, lower levels of schooling, current smoking, higher body mass index, and hypertension remained associated with calcium in all segments. No sex or race/ethnicity differences were found in any aortic segment. Diabetes and dyslipidemia were associated with ATAC and DTAC, but not with AAC, suggesting that AAC may reflect an overlap of mechanisms that impact vascular health, including atherosclerosis.
Collapse
|
7
|
de Vos BD, Lessmann N, de Jong PA, Išgum I. Deep Learning-Quantified Calcium Scores for Automatic Cardiovascular Mortality Prediction at Lung Screening Low-Dose CT. Radiol Cardiothorac Imaging 2021; 3:e190219. [PMID: 33969304 DOI: 10.1148/ryct.2021190219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Revised: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Purpose To examine the prognostic value of location-specific arterial calcification quantities at lung screening low-dose CT for the prediction of cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. Materials and Methods This retrospective study included 5564 participants who underwent low-dose CT from the National Lung Screening Trial between August 2002 and April 2004, who were followed until December 2009. A deep learning network was trained to quantify six types of vascular calcification: thoracic aorta calcification (TAC); aortic and mitral valve calcification; and coronary artery calcification (CAC) of the left main, the left anterior descending, and the right coronary artery. TAC and CAC were determined in six evenly distributed slabs spatially aligned among chest CT images. CVD mortality prediction was performed with multivariable logistic regression using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator. The methods were compared with semiautomatic baseline prediction using self-reported participant characteristics, such as age, history of smoking, and history of illness. Statistical significance between the prediction models was tested using the nonparametric DeLong test. Results The prediction model was trained with data from 4451 participants (median age, 61 years; 37.9% women) and then tested on data from 1113 participants (median age, 61 years; 37.9% women). The prediction model using calcium scores achieved a C statistic of 0.74 (95% CI: 0.69, 0.79), and it outperformed the baseline model using only participant characteristics (C statistic, 0.69; P = .049). Best results were obtained when combining all variables (C statistic, 0.76; P < .001). Conclusion Five-year CVD mortality prediction using automatically extracted image-based features is feasible at lung screening low-dose CT.© RSNA, 2021.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bob D de Vos
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Physics (B.D.d.V., I.I.), Cardiovascular Institute (B.D.d.V., I.I.), and Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine (I.I.), Amsterdam University Medical Center, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; and Image Sciences Institute (B.D.d.V., N.L., I.I.) and Department of Radiology (P.A.d.J., I.I.), University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Nikolas Lessmann
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Physics (B.D.d.V., I.I.), Cardiovascular Institute (B.D.d.V., I.I.), and Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine (I.I.), Amsterdam University Medical Center, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; and Image Sciences Institute (B.D.d.V., N.L., I.I.) and Department of Radiology (P.A.d.J., I.I.), University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Pim A de Jong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Physics (B.D.d.V., I.I.), Cardiovascular Institute (B.D.d.V., I.I.), and Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine (I.I.), Amsterdam University Medical Center, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; and Image Sciences Institute (B.D.d.V., N.L., I.I.) and Department of Radiology (P.A.d.J., I.I.), University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Ivana Išgum
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Physics (B.D.d.V., I.I.), Cardiovascular Institute (B.D.d.V., I.I.), and Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine (I.I.), Amsterdam University Medical Center, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; and Image Sciences Institute (B.D.d.V., N.L., I.I.) and Department of Radiology (P.A.d.J., I.I.), University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Fashanu OE, Upadhrasta S, Zhao D, Budoff MJ, Pandey A, Lima JA, Michos ED. Effect of Progression of Valvular Calcification on Left Ventricular Structure and Frequency of Incident Heart Failure (from the Multiethnic Study of Atherosclerosis). Am J Cardiol 2020; 134:99-107. [PMID: 32917344 DOI: 10.1016/j.amjcard.2020.08.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2020] [Revised: 08/02/2020] [Accepted: 08/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Heart failure (HF) is a leading cause of morbidity. Strategies for preventing HF are paramount. Prevalent extracoronary calcification is associated with HF risk but less is known about progression of mitral annular (MAC) and aortic valve calcification (AVC) and HF risk. Progression of valvular calcification (VC) [interval change of >0 units/yr] was assessed by 2 cardiac computed tomography scans over a median of 2.4 years. We used Cox regression to determine the risk of adjudicated HF and linear mixed effects models to determine 10-year change in left ventricular (LV) parameters measured by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging associated with VC progression. We studied 5,591 MESA participants free of baseline cardiovascular disease. Mean ± SD age was 62 ± 10 years; 53% women; 83% had no VC progression, 15% progressed at 1 site (AVC or MAC) and 3% at both sites. There were 251 incident HF over 15 years. After adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors, the hazard ratios (95% confidence interval) of HF associated with VC progression at 1 and 2 sites were 1.62 (1.21 to 2.17) and 1.88 (1.14 to 3.09), respectively, compared with no progression (p-for-trend <0.001). Hazard ratios were higher for HFpEF (2.52 [1.63 to 3.90] and 2.49 [1.19 to 5.25]) but nonsignificant for HFrEF. Both AVC (1.61 [1.19 to 2.19]) and MAC (1.50 [1.09 to 2.07]) progression were associated with HF. VC was associated with worsening of some LV parameters over 10 years. In conclusion, VC progression was associated with increased risk of HF and change in LV function. Interventions targeted at reducing VC progression may also impact HF risk, particularly HFpEF.
Collapse
|
9
|
Craiem D, Casciaro M, Pascaner A, Soulat G, Guilenea F, Sirieix ME, Simon A, Mousseaux E. Association of calcium density in the thoracic aorta with risk factors and clinical events. Eur Radiol 2020; 30:3960-3967. [PMID: 32100088 DOI: 10.1007/s00330-020-06708-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Revised: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES In the ascending aorta, calcification density was independently and inversely associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk prediction. Until now, the density of thoracic aorta calcium (TAC) was estimated as the Agatston score divided by the calcium area (DAG). We thought to analyze TAC density in a full Hounsfield unit (HU) range and to study its association with TAC volume, traditional risk factors, and CVD events. METHODS Non-enhanced CT images of 1426 patients at intermediate risk were retrospectively reviewed. A calcium density score was estimated as the average of the maximum HU attenuation in all calcified plaques of the entire thoracic aorta (DAV). RESULTS During a mean 4.0 years follow-up, there were 26 events for a total of 674 patients with TAC > 0. TAC volume and DAV were positively correlated (R = 0.72). The median DAV value was 457 HU (IQ 323-603 HU) and was exponentially related to DAG (R = 0.86). DAV was inversely associated with systolic pressure (p < 0.05), pulse pressure (p < 0.01), hypertension (p < 0.05), and 10-year FRS (p < 0.001) after adjusting for TAC volume. When TAC volume and DAV were included in a logistic model, a significant improvement was shown in CVD risk estimation beyond coronary artery calcium (CAC) (AUC = 0.768 vs 0.814, p < 0.05). In multivariable Cox models, TAC volume and DAV showed an independent association with CVD. CONCLUSIONS In intermediate risk patients, TAC density was inversely associated with several risk factors after adjustment for TAC volume. A significant improvement was observed over CAC when TAC volume and density were added into the risk prediction model. KEY POINTS • Calcifications in the aorta can be non-invasively assessed using CT images • A higher calcium score is associated with a higher cardiovascular risk • Measuring the calcifications size and the density separately can improve the risk prediction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Damian Craiem
- Instituto de Medicina Traslacional, Trasplante y Bioingeniería (IMeTTyB) Universidad Favaloro-CONICET, Solis 453, CP 1078, Buenos Aires, Argentina. .,Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France.
| | - Mariano Casciaro
- Instituto de Medicina Traslacional, Trasplante y Bioingeniería (IMeTTyB) Universidad Favaloro-CONICET, Solis 453, CP 1078, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ariel Pascaner
- Instituto de Medicina Traslacional, Trasplante y Bioingeniería (IMeTTyB) Universidad Favaloro-CONICET, Solis 453, CP 1078, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Gilles Soulat
- Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France.,Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, INSERM U970, Paris, France
| | - Federico Guilenea
- Instituto de Medicina Traslacional, Trasplante y Bioingeniería (IMeTTyB) Universidad Favaloro-CONICET, Solis 453, CP 1078, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | | | - Elie Mousseaux
- Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France.,Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, INSERM U970, Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Anatomical References to Evaluate Thoracic Aorta Calcium by Computed Tomography. Curr Atheroscler Rep 2019; 21:51. [DOI: 10.1007/s11883-019-0811-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
|
11
|
Aboyans V, Braekkan S, Mazzolai L, Sillesen H, Venermo M, De Carlo M. The year 2017 in cardiology: aorta and peripheral circulation. Eur Heart J 2019; 39:730-738. [PMID: 29300868 DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehx800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2017] [Accepted: 12/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Victor Aboyans
- Department of Cardiology, Dupuytren University Hospital, 2, Martin Luther King Ave., Limoges, France.,Inserm 1094, Limoges School of Medicine, Ave Dr. Marcland, 87025 Limoges, France
| | - Sigrid Braekkan
- K.G. Jebsen Thrombosis Research and Expertise Center (TREC), Department of Clinical Medicine, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Hansine Hansens veg 18, 9037, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Lucia Mazzolai
- Division of Angiology, Department of Heart and Vessel, Lausanne University Hospital, Ch du Mont-Paisible 18, Lausanne, 1011, Switzerland
| | - Henrik Sillesen
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 9, Copenhagen, 2100, Denmark
| | - Maarit Venermo
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Helsinki University Hospital, Haartmaninkatu 4, FI-00290 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Marco De Carlo
- Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, Cardiothoracic and Vascular Department, Azienda Ospealiero-Universitaria Pisana, via Paradisa, Pisa, Italy
| | | |
Collapse
|
12
|
Li M, Zhou H, Yang M, Xing C. Relationship between serum sclerostin, vascular sclerostin expression and vascular calcification assessed by different methods in ESRD patients eligible for renal transplantation: a cross-sectional study. Int Urol Nephrol 2018; 51:311-323. [PMID: 30515734 DOI: 10.1007/s11255-018-2033-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2018] [Accepted: 11/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Vascular calcification (VC) is known to be prevalent in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Sclerostin has been identified to be involved in the cross-talk between the kidney, vasculature, and bone. The aims of the present study were to evaluate vessel sclerostin expression and its correlation with VC, as well as serum sclerostin levels. METHODS A total of 51 adult ESRD patients undergoing living donor renal transplant (RT) were enrolled in this study. Serum sclerostin levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The thoracic aorta calcification (TAC) was measured by computed tomography (CT). The aortic calcification area index (ACAI) was used to evaluate the severity of TAC. During the RT surgery, the internal iliac arteries were collected and paraffin-embedded in 40 patients, followed by immunohistochemical staining for sclerostin expression and von Kossa-staining for vascular medial calcification degree. RESULTS The prevalence rate of TAC detected by CT was 58.82%. The positive rates of the internal iliac arterial calcification and vessel sclerostin expression were both 45%. Vessel sclerostin was strongly co-localized with medial calcification. Multivariate analyses revealed that only serum sclerostin was significantly associated with the presence of TAC, the severity of TAC and the positive expression of vessel sclerostin. Kappa test showed that the consistency of the two different calcification assessment methods, as well as the consistency of vessel sclerostin expression and von Kossa-staining were high. Furthermore, the cutoff points of serum sclerostin for vessel sclerostin expression, the presence of VC evaluated by CT and that evaluated by pathology were 1599.92 pg/mL, 2475.52 pg/mL, and 2116.23 pg/mL, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The two methods, namely CT and pathology, to evaluate VC were highly consistent. Serum sclerostin was an independent determinant of positive expression of vessel sclerostin and VC in ESRD patients eligible for RT.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Min Li
- Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu Province Hospital, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China.,Department of Nephrology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hua Zhou
- Department of Nephrology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Min Yang
- Department of Nephrology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Changying Xing
- Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu Province Hospital, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Thomas IC, Thompson CA, Yang M, Allison MA, Forbang NI, Michos ED, McClelland RL, Budoff MJ, Criqui MH. Thoracic Aorta Calcification and Noncardiovascular Disease-Related Mortality. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2018; 38:1926-1932. [PMID: 29954753 PMCID: PMC6202121 DOI: 10.1161/atvbaha.118.310850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2018] [Accepted: 06/04/2018] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Objective- Arterial calcification is highly correlated with underlying atherosclerosis. Arterial calcification of the thoracic aorta is evident in many older individuals at high susceptibility to aging-related diseases and non-cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related mortality. In this study, we evaluated the association of thoracic aorta calcification (TAC) with non-CVD morbidity and mortality. Approach and Results- We analyzed data from participants in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis, a prospective cohort study of subclinical atherosclerosis, in which participants underwent cardiac computed tomography at baseline and were followed longitudinally for incident CVD events and non-CVD events. Using modified proportional hazards models accounting for the competing risk of CVD death and controlling for demographics, CVD risk factors, coronary artery calcium, and CVD events, we evaluated whether TAC was independently associated with non-CVD morbidity and mortality. Among 6765 participants (mean age, 62 years), 704 non-CVD deaths occurred for a median follow-up of 12.2 years. Compared with no TAC, the highest tertile of TAC volume was associated with a higher risk of non-CVD mortality (hazard ratio, 1.56; 95% confidence interval, 1.23-1.97), as well as several non-CVD diagnoses, including hip fracture (2.14; 1.03-4.46), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (2.06; 1.29-3.29), and pneumonia (1.79; 1.30-2.45), with magnitudes of association that were larger than for those of coronary artery calcium. Conclusions- TAC is associated with non-CVD morbidity and non-CVD mortality, potentially through a pathway that is unrelated to atherosclerosis. TAC may be a general marker of biological aging and an indicator of increased risk of non-CVD and death.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Isac C. Thomas
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
- Division of Preventive Medicine, Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Caroline A. Thompson
- Division of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, California
| | - Mingan Yang
- Division of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, California
| | - Matthew A. Allison
- Division of Preventive Medicine, Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Nketi I. Forbang
- Division of Preventive Medicine, Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Erin D. Michos
- Division of Cardiology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | | | - Matthew J. Budoff
- Division of Cardiology, Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-University of California Los Angeles Medical Center, Torrance, California
| | - Michael H. Criqui
- Division of Preventive Medicine, Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
| |
Collapse
|