Abstract
BACKGROUND: Coronary artery calcification (CAC) indicates the presence of atherosclerotic lesions and serves as a marker of prognosis in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). This study evaluated the value of the CAC score for determining the prognosis of patients with stable angina pectoris (SAP). METHODS: A total of 106 consecutive patients with SAP were enrolled in this study from January 2011 to June 2014; from these patients, 640 multi-slice computer tomography (MSCT) samples were used to obtain CAC scores. The CAC scores were calculated according to the standard Agatston calcium scoring algorithm. All subjects were divided into a lower CAC score group (CAC score, ≤300) and a higher CAC score group (CAC score, >300). Major adverse cardiac events (MACE) were followed-up, and the non-event survival time was recorded. The relationships between the CAC score and both clinical characteristics and MACE were then analysed. RESULTS: The CAC positively correlated with age and the creatinine (Cr) level. Compared with patients who received lower CAC scores, the rates of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), MACE and multi-vessel disease were significantly higher in patients who received higher CAC scores. The Cox regression analysis results showed that the CAC score [pre-standard deviation (SD)] was a risk factor for the no-event survival time [hazard ratio (HR), 3.06; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.47-6.38; P<0.05 for all]. However, the Kaplan-Meier analysis suggested that the rates of MACE did not differ between patients who were treated with PCI plus medical therapy and those who were treated with optimal medical therapy alone in both the higher and lower CAC score groups. CONCLUSIONS: The CAC scores (per-SD) and MACE strongly and positively correlated in patients with SAP, and PCI was not related to the clinical prognosis of patients with SAP in either group.