INCREASING CORONARY ARTERY CALCIUM IS ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASED ALL-CAUSE MORTALITY AMONG ASYMPTOMATIC INDIVIDUALS WITH A FAMILY HISTORY OF CORONARY HEART DISEASE

Diastolic blood pressure (BP) has a J-curve relationship with coronary heart disease and death. Because this association is thought to reflect reduced coronary perfusion at low diastolic BP, our objective was to test whether the J-curve is most pronounced among persons with coronary artery calcium. Among 6,811 participants from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis, we used Cox models to examine if diastolic BP category is associated with coronary heart disease events, stroke, and mortality. Analyses were conducted in the sample overall and after stratification by coronary artery calcium score. In multivariable-adjusted analyses, compared with diastolic BP of 80 to 89 mmHg (reference), persons with diastolic BP <60 mmHg had increased risk of coronary heart disease events (HR 1.69 [95% confidence interval 1.02-2.79]) and all-cause mortality (HR 1.48 [95% confidence interval 1.10-2.00]), but not stroke. After stratification, associations of diastolic BP <60 mmHg with events were present only among participants with coronary artery calcium >0. Diastolic BP <60 mmHg was not associated with events when coronary artery calcium was zero. We also found no interaction in the association between low diastolic BP and events based on race. In conclusion, diastolic blood pressure <60 mmHg was associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease events and all-cause mortality in the sample overall, but this association appeared strongest among individuals with elevated CAC; suggesting that added caution may be needed when pursuing intensive BP treatment targets among persons with subclinical atherosclerosis.

Download Full-text

Association of Body Mass Index With Coronary Artery Calcium and Subsequent Cardiovascular Mortality

Circulation Cardiovascular Imaging ◽

10.1161/circimaging.119.009495 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (7) ◽

Author(s):

Joseph C. Jensen ◽

Zeina A. Dardari ◽

Michael J. Blaha ◽

Susan White ◽

Leslee J. Shaw ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Body Mass Index ◽

Coronary Heart Disease ◽

Heart Disease ◽

Coronary Artery ◽

Body Mass ◽

Coronary Artery Calcium ◽

Odds Ratio ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Social Security Death Index ◽

All Cause Mortality

Background: Obesity is associated with higher risk for coronary artery calcium (CAC), but the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and mortality is complex and frequently paradoxical. Methods: We analyzed BMI, CAC, and subsequent mortality using data from the CAC Consortium, a multi-centered cohort of individuals free of established cardiovascular disease (CVD) who underwent CAC testing. Mortality was assessed through linkage to the Social Security Death Index and cause of death from the National Death Index. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine odds ratios for the association of clinically relevant BMI categories and prevalent CAC. Cox proportional hazards regression modeling was used to determine hazard ratios for coronary heart disease, CVD, and all-cause mortality according to categories of BMI and CAC. Results: Our sample included 36 509 individuals, mean age 54.1 (10.3) years, 34.4% female, median BMI 26.6 (interquartile range, 24.1–30.1), 46.6% had zero CAC, and 10.5% had CAC ≥400. Compared with individuals with normal BMI, the multivariable adjusted odds of CAC >0 were increased in those overweight (odds ratio, 1.13 [95% CI, 1.1–1.2]) and obese (odds ratio, 1.5 [95% CI, 1.4–1.6]). Over a median follow-up of 11.4 years, there were 1550 deaths (4.3%). Compared with normal BMI, obese individuals had a higher risk of coronary heart disease, CVD, and all-cause mortality while overweight individuals, despite a higher odds of CAC, showed no significant increase in mortality. In a sex-stratified analysis, the increase in coronary heart disease, CVD, and all-cause mortality in obese individuals appeared largely limited to men, and there was a lower risk of all-cause mortality in overweight women (hazard ratio, 0.79 [95% CI, 0.63–0.98]). Conclusions: In a large sample undergoing CAC scoring, obesity was associated with a higher risk of CAC and subsequent coronary heart disease, CVD, and all-cause mortality. However, overweight individuals did not have a higher risk of mortality despite a higher risk for CAC.

Download Full-text