Non-traditional tools for predicting coronary artery disease.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to evaluate the role of traditional coronary calcium score (CCS) and non-traditional factors (epicardial fat volume and thoracic extracoronary calcium) in detecting subclinical coronary artery disease (CAD).
Results Summary
A CCS of 0 was found in 61.4% of patients, but 91 of these still had CAD. Higher epicardial fat volume (EFV) was significantly associated with CAD in CCS 0 patients, and combining EFV with CCS improved sensitivity and negative predictive value for CAD detection.
Population
950 Indian patients suspected to have CAD.
Effective Dosage
Not available
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
coronary calcium score (CCS) | neutral | coronary atherosclerosis and future cardiovascular events | - | - | is a time-tested tool for the evaluation of coronary atherosclerosis and predictor of future cardiovascular events | #1 |
epicardial fat volume (EFV) | increase | median values | 'CAD present and CCS 0' group | - | were statistically significantly higher | #2 |
epicardial fat volume (EFV) | increase | median values | 'CAD absent and CCS 0' group | - | were statistically significantly higher | #3 |
thoracic extracoronary calcium (ECC) | neutral | presence of thoracic ECC involving at least a single site | 91 patients with CAD and CCS 0 | 6 | was seen in only 6 of these 91 patients | #4 |
EFV and CCS considered together | increase | sensitivity and negative predictive value (NPV) for detection of CAD | - | - | were improved | #5 |
ECC taken together with CCS and EFV | no change | sensitivity or NPV | - | - | no further improvement was observed | #6 |
combined use of traditional CCS along with non-traditional EFV | neutral | cardiovascular risk profiling | - | - | may guide us in better profiling cardiovascular risk and supplement the various traditional cardiovascular risk factors/scores | #7 |
Background The traditional coronary calcium score (CCS) is a time-tested tool for the evaluation of coronary atherosclerosis and predictor of future cardiovascular events. Non-traditional tools can also have a value in predicting and detecting subclinical coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods We studied the role of CCS, the traditional CAD risk predictor, and the less-recognized, non-traditional risk factors, i.e. epicardial fat volume (EFV) and thoracic extracoronary calcium (ECC), to assess the degree of subclinical CAD. In this cross-sectional observational study, we included 950 Indian patients (suspected to have CAD). Coronary computed tomography angiography was performed. Estimation of CCS, EFV and thoracic ECC was done. Results A CCS of 0 was seen in 583 patients (61.4%). Of these, 492 patients had normal coronary angiogram but 91 patients had CAD. The median values of EFV were statistically significantly higher in the 'CAD present and CCS 0' group compared to the 'CAD absent and CCS 0' group (p<0.001). The presence of thoracic ECC involving at least a single site was seen in only 6 of these 91 patients. When both EFV and CCS were considered together for the detection of CAD, the sensitivity and negative predictive value (NPV) were improved compared to either of these in isolation. When ECC was taken together with CCS and EFV, no further improvement in sensitivity or NPV was observed. Conclusion The combined use of traditional CCS along with non-traditional EFV may guide us in better profiling cardiovascular risk and supplement the various traditional cardiovascular risk factors/scores.