Risk factors for coronary, aortic arch and carotid calcification; The Rotterdam Study

• Published in: Journal of human hypertension Vol. 24; no. 2; pp. 86 - 92
• Main Authors: Odink, A E, van der Lugt, A, Hofman, A, Hunink, M G M, Breteler, M M B, Krestin, G P, Witteman, J C M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 01.02.2010; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: Age Factors; Aged; Aorta, Thoracic - diagnostic imaging; Aortic arch; Aortic Diseases - diagnostic imaging; Aortic Diseases - epidemiology; Aortic Diseases - etiology; Aortography - methods; Arterial hypertension. Arterial hypotension; Arteriosclerosis; Atherosclerosis; Biological and medical sciences; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Calcification; Calcification (ectopic); Calcinosis - diagnostic imaging; Calcinosis - epidemiology; Calcinosis - etiology; Cardiology. Vascular system; Cardiovascular diseases; Carotid artery; Carotid Artery Diseases - diagnostic imaging; Carotid Artery Diseases - epidemiology; Carotid Artery Diseases - etiology; Cholesterol; Computed tomography; Coronary artery; Coronary Artery Disease - diagnostic imaging; Coronary Artery Disease - epidemiology; Coronary Artery Disease - etiology; Coronary heart disease; Diabetes; Diabetes Complications - etiology; Diabetes mellitus; Epidemiology; Female; Health Administration; Heart; High density lipoprotein; Humans; Hypercholesterolemia; Hypercholesterolemia - complications; Hypertension; Hypertension - complications; Logistic Models; Male; Medical research; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Medicine, Experimental; Middle Aged; Netherlands - epidemiology; Obesity - complications; Odds Ratio; original-article; Population studies; Population Surveillance; Public Health; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; Sex Factors; Smoking; Smoking - adverse effects; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Women; Netherlands, Rotterdam; atherosclerosis; risk factors; coronary; calcification; aortic arch; carotid; Vascular disease; Hypertension; Carotid; Atherosclerosis; Risk factor; Calcification; Aorta; Cardiovascular disease
• ISSN: 0950-9240; 1476-5527
• DOI: 10.1038/jhh.2009.42

This study was performed to examine the association of cardiovascular risk factors with calcification in the coronary arteries, aortic arch and carotid arteries, assessed by multislice computed tomography (MSCT). This study was embedded in the Rotterdam Study, a population-based study in subjects aged 55 years and over. From October 2003 until December 2004, subjects were invited to undergo a MSCT scan. Coronary, aortic arch and carotid calcification were quantified according to the Agatston score. Analyses were performed in the first 1003 subjects. Age and current smoking were the strongest independent risk factors for arterial calcification. The odds ratio (OR) for age in women, irrespective of the vessel bed, was 1.1 ( P <0.001) and in men it was 1.2 with aortic arch and 1.1 with carotid calcification (both P <0.001). Current smoking was associated with aortic arch calcification with an OR of 3.5 in women and of 4.7 in men (both P <0.001); and with carotid calcification with an OR of 2.1 in women ( P <0.05) and of 4.1 in men ( P <0.01). Hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and diabetes were also independently related to calcification, although not consistent across all vessel beds and for men and women. Obesity tended to be inversely related to arterial calcification in women, whereas low high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol showed no relation with arterial calcification. In conclusion, although associations were not completely consistent across the different vessel beds and for men and women, our results indicate that generally the same risk factors are present for atherosclerosis in the coronary, aortic arch and carotid circulation.