Discrepancy between coronary artery calcium score and HeartScore in middle-aged Danes: the DanRisk study

• Published in: European journal of preventive cardiology Vol. 19; no. 3; p. 558
• Main Authors: Diederichsen, Axel C P, Sand, Niels Peter, Nørgaard, Bjarne, Lambrechtsen, Jess, Jensen, Jesper Møller, Munkholm, Henrik, Aziz, Ahmed, Gerke, Oke, Egstrup, Kenneth, Larsen, Mogens Lytken, Petersen, Henrik, Høilund-Carlsen, Poul F, Mickley, Hans
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01.06.2012
• Subjects: Asymptomatic Diseases; Coronary Angiography - methods; Coronary Artery Disease - diagnostic imaging; Coronary Artery Disease - mortality; Denmark - epidemiology; Disease Progression; Female; Humans; Male; Mass Screening - methods; Middle Aged; Multidetector Computed Tomography; Multivariate Analysis; Odds Ratio; Predictive Value of Tests; Prevalence; Prognosis; Reproducibility of Results; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; Time Factors; Vascular Calcification - diagnostic imaging; Vascular Calcification - mortality
• ISSN: 2047-4881
• DOI: 10.1177/1741826711409172

Coronary artery calcification (CAC) is an independent and incremental risk marker. This marker has previously not been compared to the HeartScore risk model. A random sample of 1825 citizens (men and women, 50 or 60 years of age) was invited for screening. Using the HeartScore model, the 10-year risk of fatal cardiovascular events based on gender, age, smoking, systolic blood pressure, and total cholesterol was estimated. A low risk was defined as <5%. The CAC score was calculated from a non-contrast enhanced cardiac-CT scan and given in Agatston U. A total of 1257 (69%) of the invited subjects were interested in the screening. Due to previous cardiovascular disease or diabetes mellitus, 101 were excluded. Of the remaining 1156, 47% were men and 53% women; one half were 50 years old and the other half 60 years old. A low HeartScore was found in 901 of which 334 (37%) had CAC. A high HeartScore was recorded in 251 of which 80 (32%) did not have any CAC. High HeartScores and CAC were significantly more common in males than females. CAC is common in healthy middle-aged Danes with a low HeartScore, and, on the contrary, high-risk subjects very frequently do not have CAC. The therapeutic and prognostic implications of these observations remain to be clarified.