Prevalence and Correlates of Coronary Calcification in Black and White Young Adults
Why the study?
Is there a difference in the prevalence of coronary calcification between black and white young adults?
Population
443 black and white men and women aged 28 to 40 years recruited from a population-based cohort in the United…
Design
Cross-sectional
Authors
Discussion
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Implication
Coronary calcium in young adults tracks risk factors independent of race; hypothesis-generating for equitable screening and requires prospective validation.
Key Points
- To compare the prevalence and cardiovascular risk factor correlates of coronary artery calcification, an early marker of atherosclerosis, between young adult Black and White men and women.
- Performed electron-beam computed tomography (EBCT) of the heart in N=443 Black and White men and women aged 28 to 40 years recruited from a population-based cohort.
- Identified coronary calcium presence based on at least one focus ≥2.05 mm² in area with density >130 Hounsfield units within coronary arteries.
- Assessed multivariable associations between coronary calcification and clinical risk factors including blood pressure, lipid fractions, fasting insulin, and body mass index.
- Coronary calcium was present in 16.1% of Black men, 11.8% of Black women, 17.1% of White men, and 4.6% of White women (P=0.04 across groups).
- Coronary calcium positively correlated with body mass index, weight, systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and fasting insulin, and negatively with education (all P<0.05).
- Independent risk factors for coronary calcium were male sex, body mass index, and LDL cholesterol, whereas race was not significantly associated with calcification before or after adjustment.
Structured PICO
Is there a difference in the prevalence of coronary calcification between black and white young adults?
P
Population
443 black and white men and women aged 28 to 40 years recruited from a population-based cohort in the United States
O
Outcome
Prevalence of coronary calcification (defined as at least 1 focus of at least 2.05 mm² in area and >130 Hounsfield units in density within the coronary arteries)surrogate
Coronary calcification is associated with traditional cardiovascular risk factors in young adults, but its prevalence does not differ significantly between black and white individuals after adjusting for these factors.
Cite This Study
Bild et al. (2001) studied this question.