Coronary artery calcium score and coronary computed tomography angiography for patients with asymptomatic polyvascular (non-coronary) atherosclerosis.

INTRODUCTION: The primary endpoint of this study was to determine the prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD) and coronary artery calcium score (CACS) using coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) among patients with polyvascular atherosclerosis (PVA). Secondary endpoints were to evaluate the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and determine the predictors of PVA.

METHODS: The presence of atherosclerotic disease was assessed using ultrasonographic vascular examination in 515 asymptomatic patients. All patients with presence of stenosis over 50% and moderate-to-severe cardiovascular risk profile underwent CCTA to identify atherosclerotic coronary disease.

RESULTS: Among 515 participants, 143 patients had no evidence of atherosclerotic plaque. Of the 372 patients with atherosclerotic plaque, 184 patients had single-vessel disease, 111 patients had double-vessel disease and 77 patients had triple-vessel disease; among these patients, those who also presented with stenosis > 50% underwent CCTA. Coronary stenosis categories included: normal (6.4%); haemodynamically insignificant (34.6%); intermediate (28.7%); significant (26.6%); and total artery occlusion (3.7%). Based on the coronary vessel involved, the patients were categorised as having single- (41.0%), double- (42.0%) or triple- (17.0%) coronary disease. CACS was significantly higher in patients with double- or triple-vessel disease when compared to those with single-vessel disease.

CONCLUSION: Our study confirmed not only the high sensitivity of CCTA for highlighting CAD, but also its negative predictive value for excluding the presence of coronary stenosis or ischaemia. We found good correlation between PVA and CACS, and were able to confirm the risk factors for PVA.