Key result
A low number of circulating CD34-positive cells (< 0.8 cells/μL) was an independent predictor of coronary artery calcification progression in patients with hypercholesterolemia under statin therapy (OR 2.88).
Why the study?
Decreased circulating CD34-positive cells are associated with increased cardiovascular events, but their relationship with coronary artery calcification progression in patients with hypercholesterolemia under statin therapy was uninvestigated.
Does a low baseline number of circulating CD34-positive cells predict coronary artery calcification progression in patients with hypercholesterolemia on statin therapy?
Cohort (n=156)
Blinded analysis of CT images
Yes
Does a low baseline number of circulating CD34-positive cells predict coronary artery calcification progression in patients with hypercholesterolemia on statin therapy?
Odds Ratio: 2.88 (95% CI 1.28–6.49)
p-value: p=0.01
Low numbers of circulating CD34-positive cells independently predict coronary artery calcification progression in hypercholesterolemic patients on statin therapy, suggesting its potential as a biomarker for cardiovascular risk.
Low CD34+ cell count was associated with CAC progression on statins; hypothesis-generating for biomarker use and requires prospective validation before practice change.
BACKGROUND: Decreases in circulating CD34-positive cells are associated with increases in cardiovascular events. We investigated the association between the number of CD34-positive cells and the progression of coronary artery calcification (CAC), a marker of atherosclerosis, in patients with hypercholesteremia under statin therapy in a sub-analysis of a multicenter study. METHODS: In the principal study, patients with CAC scores of 1-999 were treated with pitavastatin. Measurement of CAC by non-enhanced computed tomography and a blood test were performed at baseline and at 1-year follow-up. Patients were divided into two groups: CAC progression (change in CAC score > 0) and non-progression. The number of circulating CD34-positive cells was counted using flow cytometry. RESULTS: A total of 156 patients (mean age 67 years, 55% men) were included in this sub-analysis. CD34 positive cell numbers at baseline as a continuous variable was inversely correlated with annual change in the log-transformed CAC score (r = -0.19, p = 0.02). When patients were divided into high and low CD34 groups based on the median value of 0.8 cells/μL, the adjusted change in CAC score in the low-CD34 group was significantly greater than that in the high-CD34 group (54.2% vs. 20.8%, respectively, p = 0.04). In multiple logistic analysis, a low CD34-positive cell number was an independent predictor of CAC progression, with an odds ratio of 2.88 (95% confidence interval 1.28-6.49, p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Low numbers of CD34-positive cells are associated with CAC progression in patients with hypercholesterolemia under statin therapy. The number of CD34-positive cells may help to identify patients at increased cardiovascular risk.
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Ichikawa et al. (2021) conducted a cohort in Hypercholesterolemia (n=156). Low circulating CD34-positive cell number (< 0.8 cells/μL) vs. High circulating CD34-positive cell number (≥ 0.8 cells/μL) was evaluated on Coronary artery calcification (CAC) progression (OR 2.88, 95% CI 1.28-6.49, p=0.01). A low number of circulating CD34-positive cells (< 0.8 cells/μL) was an independent predictor of coronary artery calcification progression in patients with hypercholesterolemia under statin therapy (OR 2.88).
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