Predictive value of coronary calcifications for future cardiac events in asymptomatic patients with diabetes mellitus: a prospective study in 716 patients over 8 years

• Published in: BMC cardiovascular disorders 2008-10, Vol.8 (1), p.27-27, Article 27
• Main Authors: Becker, Alexander, Leber, Alexander W, Becker, Christoph, von Ziegler, Franz, Tittus, Janine, Schroeder, Ines, Steinbeck, Gerhard, Knez, Andreas
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Calcinosis - complications; Calcinosis - diagnostic imaging; Calcinosis - mortality; Cardiomyopathies - complications; Cardiomyopathies - diagnostic imaging; Cardiomyopathies - mortality; Care and treatment; Complications and side effects; Coronary heart disease; Development and progression; Diabetes; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - complications; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - diagnostic imaging; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - mortality; Diagnosis; Female; Health Status Indicators; Humans; Kaplan-Meier Estimate; Male; Middle Aged; Myocardial Infarction - diagnostic imaging; Myocardial Infarction - etiology; Myocardial Infarction - mortality; Predictive Value of Tests; Proportional Hazards Models; Prospective Studies; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; ROC Curve; Time Factors; Tomography, X-Ray Computed
• ISSN: 1471-2261; 1471-2261
• DOI: 10.1186/1471-2261-8-27

To establish an efficient prophylaxis of coronary artery disease reliable risk stratification is crucial, especially in the high risk population of patients suffering from diabetes mellitus. This prospective study determined the predictive value of coronary calcifications for future cardiovascular events in asymptomatic patients with diabetes mellitus. We included 716 patients suffering from diabetes mellitus (430 men, 286 women, age 55.2+/-15.2 years) in this study. On study entry all patients were asymptomatic and had no history of coronary artery disease. In addition, all patients showed no signs of coronary artery disease in ECG, stress ECG or echocardiography. Coronary calcifications were determined with the Imatron C 150 XP electron beam computed tomograph. For quantification of coronary calcifications we calculated the Agatston score. After a mean observation period of 8.1+/-1.1 years patients were contacted and the event rate of cardiac death (CD) and myocardial infarction (MI) was determined. During the observation period 40 patients suffered from MI, 36 patients died from acute CD. The initial Agatston score in patients that suffered from MI or died from CD (475+/-208) was significantly higher compared to those without cardiac events (236+/-199, p