Multislice CT coronary angiography and coronary artery calcium scoring, correlation with Heart Score

BackgroundCoronary atherosclerosis is the number one leading cause of death. According to estimates, if all primary cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) had been eradicated, life expectancy could increase by nearly seven years. Long asymptomatic latent phases of coronary heart disease allow for early preventive measures. Egypt has a high prevalence of premature Coronary Artery Disease (CAD).Aim of studyWe aimed to evaluate the correlation between the cardiovascular risk assessed by the Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation (HeartScore) and Coronary Artery Calcium Score (CACS) versus the actual extent of atherosclerotic CAD affection among a sample of Egyptian patients assessed by Multislice Computed Tomography (MSCT) due to chest pain complaints.MethodsAn observational cross section study included one hundred studied cases: aged 40 to 69 years old, of which 63% were males, 63% were hypertensive, 39% were diabetic, and 28% were smokers. Those patients presented with symptoms suggestive of coronary artery disease (chest pain). All studied cases had been subjected to history and examination, electrocardiograph (ECG), kidney functions, lipid profile, SCORE calculation, and coronary MSCT scan.ResultsOur observational study found a moderately significant positive relationship between the HeartScore and CACS and CAD; having a higher score carries a higher probability of having CAD. Having a very low score is a good negative test for exclusion. Also, there is a weak relationship between HeartScore, CACS, and the number of diseased coronaries, i.e. these cannot differentiate single vessel disease (SVD) from Multivessel Disease (MVD). In addition, both scores could not determine Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease (OCAD) and Nonobstructive Coronary Artery Disease (Non-OCAD).ConclusionsFrom the clinical point of view, our research suggests that HeartScore and CACS have moderate value in predicting CAD.