The Atherosclerotic Profile of a Young Symptomatic Population between 19 and 49 Years: Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography or Coronary Artery Calcium Score?

Abstract

(1) Background: Whether coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) or the coronary artery calcium score (CACS) should be used for diagnosis of coronary heart disease, is an open debate. The aim of our study was to compare the atherosclerotic profile by coronary CTA in a young symptomatic high-risk population (age, 19–49 years) in comparison with the coronary artery calcium score (CACS). (2) Methods: 1137 symptomatic high-risk patients between 19–49 years (mean age, 42.4 y) who underwent coronary CTA and CACS were stratified into six age groups. CTA-analysis included stenosis severity and high-risk-plaque criteria (3) Results: Atherosclerosis was more often detected based on CTA than based on CACS (45 vs. 27%; p 35 years, the rate of atherosclerosis based on CTA increased (p = 0.004, OR: 2.8, 95%CI:1.45–5.89); and was higher by CTA as compared to CACS (34.9 vs. 16.7%; p p = 0.002) and >50% stenosis increased from 2.6 to 12.5% (p 0.1 AU was similar among all age groups, with an increasing proportion in CACS > 0.1 AU with age. A total of 24.9% of CACS 0 patients had coronary artery disease based on CTA, 4.4% > 50% stenosis and 11.5% had high-risk plaque. (4) Conclusions: In a symptomatic young high-risk population older than 35 years, CTA performed superior than CACS. In patients aged 19–35 years, the rate of atherosclerosis was similar and low based on both modalities. CACS 0 did not rule out coronary artery disease in a young high-risk population.

Keywords

• atherosclerosis
• coronary arteries
• imaging
• computed tomography
• young high-risk population