Vascular Health and Risk Management (May 2018)

Age–gender distribution of coronary artery calcium score in a black African population in Ghana

  • Asafu Adjaye Frimpong G,
  • Owusu IK,
  • Anyitey-Kokor IC,
  • Wiafe-Kwakye CSNS,
  • Aboagye E,
  • Coleman NE,
  • Amankwah P,
  • Abaidoo NK

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 14
pp. 75 – 80

Abstract

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George Asafu Adjaye Frimpong,1,2 Isaac Kofi Owusu,3 Ijeoma Chinedum Anyitey-Kokor,4 Caitlin Selassie Naa Sarku Wiafe-Kwakye,2 Evans Aboagye,2,5 Nana Esi Coleman,2 Pierre Amankwah,4 Nakao Kuukua Abaidoo6 1Department of Radiology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana; 2Spectra Health Imaging and Interventional Radiology, Kumasi, Ghana; 3Department of Medicine, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana; 4Department of Radiology, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana; 5Department of Molecular Medicine, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana; 6Department of Surgery, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana Background: Distribution of coronary artery calcium (CAC) has been determined in different heterogeneous populations in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). Based on findings showing that geography and culture can influence CAC scoring beyond traditional race groups, we determined the distribution of CAC in a homogenous black African population to provide an initial basis for a larger CAC score study in Africa. Methods and results: This is a preliminary study using computed tomography to determine the CAC scores within a black African population who were referred to our center. Other information on patients were recorded through a combination of one-on-one interviews and medical records. A total of 170 patients were involved in our study, including 60.6% males, with an average age of 53.9 ± 9.2 years. The majority (78.8%) had a zero calcium score, with patients within the age group of 55–64 years dominating the non-zero calcium score population. Males were found to have higher calcium levels compared to females, and coronary artery calcification and prevalence steadily rose with the increasing age. However, P-values of 0.328 and <0.001 were observed with distribution of CAC according to gender and age, respectively. Conclusion: Findings from this study showed that the distribution of CAC was markedly affected by the age of our study population, which will be more apparent in a larger study. Keywords: coronary artery calcium, computed tomography, calcium score, coronary artery disease

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