Coronary Artery Calcification, Statin Use and Long-Term Risk of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Events (from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis).

The prognostic utility of coronary artery calcium (CAC) for individuals taking statins is unclear. We hypothesized that CAC remains associated with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) events in individuals using statins at baseline or among those started on statin at follow-up. The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis is a prospective cohort study of 6,814 participants who were enrolled between 2000 and 2002 and were free of clinical ASCVD at baseline. Four follow-up visits were conducted in 2002 to 2004, 2004 to 2006, 2005 to 2007, and 2010 to 2012. CAC was assessed at baseline and follow-up using either an electron-beam CT scanner or a multidetector CT system. Statin use at baseline and follow up was self-reported. Among 6,811 participants with complete information on statin use, mean age was 62 (SD = 10) years, 53% were women, 38% white, 12% Chinese-American, 28% African American, and 22% Hispanic. In multivariable analyses, CAC >0 was associated with a significantly higher risk of ASCVD events regardless of baseline or incident statin use. For example, hazard ratios (95% confidence interval) for the association between CAC >0 and ASCVD were 2.46 (1.41, 4.28) for baseline statin users, 2.08 (1.68, 2.57) for baseline-statin nonusers, and 2.21 (1.56, 3.15) for those started on a statin at follow-up. In conclusion, current statin use does not weaken the prognostic utility of CAC. CAC is associated with incident ASCVD regardless of baseline or incident statin use.

Rifai MA ，Blaha MJ ，Patel J ，Xiaoming J ，Cainzos-Achirica M ，Greenland P ，Budoff M ，Yeboah J ，Nasir K ，Al-Mallah MH ，Virani SS ... -  《-》

Assessment of Coronary Artery Calcium Scoring to Guide Statin Therapy Allocation According to Risk-Enhancing Factors: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

Patel J ，Pallazola VA ，Dudum R ，Greenland P ，McEvoy JW ，Blumenthal RS ，Virani SS ，Miedema MD ，Shea S ，Yeboah J ，Abbate A ，Hundley WG ，Karger AB ，Tsai MY ，Sathiyakumar V ，Ogunmoroti O ，Cushman M ，Savji N ，Liu K ，Nasir K ，Blaha MJ ，Martin SS ，Al Rifai M ... -  《-》

Implications of Coronary Artery Calcium Testing Among Statin Candidates According to American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Cholesterol Management Guidelines: MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis).

The American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) cholesterol management guidelines have significantly broadened the scope of candidates eligible for statin therapy. This study evaluated the implications of the absence of coronary artery calcium (CAC) in reclassifying patients from a risk stratum in which statins are recommended to one in which they are not. MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis) is a longitudinal study of 6,814 men and women 45 to 84 years of age without clinical atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk at enrollment. We excluded 1,100 participants (16%) on lipid-lowering medication, 87 (1.3%) without low-density lipoprotein levels, 26 (0.4%) with missing risk factors for calculation of 10-year risk of ASCVD, 633 (9%) >75 years of age, and 209 (3%) with low-density lipoprotein <70 mg/dl from the analysis. The study population consisted of 4,758 participants (age 59 ± 9 years; 47% males). A total of 247 (5.2%) ASCVD and 155 (3.3%) hard coronary heart disease events occurred over a median (interquartile range) follow-up of 10.3 (9.7 to 10.8) years. The new ACC/AHA guidelines recommended 2,377 (50%) MESA participants for moderate- to high-intensity statins; the majority (77%) was eligible because of a 10-year estimated ASCVD risk ≥7.5%. Of those recommended statins, 41% had CAC = 0 and had 5.2 ASCVD events/1,000 person-years. Among 589 participants (12%) considered for moderate-intensity statin, 338 (57%) had a CAC = 0, with an ASCVD event rate of 1.5 per 1,000 person-years. Of participants eligible (recommended or considered) for statins, 44% (1,316 of 2,966) had CAC = 0 at baseline and an observed 10-year ASCVD event rate of 4.2 per 1,000 person-years. Significant ASCVD risk heterogeneity exists among those eligible for statins according to the new guidelines. The absence of CAC reclassifies approximately one-half of candidates as not eligible for statin therapy.

Nasir K ，Bittencourt MS ，Blaha MJ ，Blankstein R ，Agatson AS ，Rivera JJ ，Miedema MD ，Sibley CT ，Shaw LJ ，Blumenthal RS ，Budoff MJ ，Krumholz HM ... -  《-》

Statin Eligibility, Coronary Artery Calcium, and Subsequent Cardiovascular Events According to the 2016 United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) Statin Guidelines: MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis).

The potential impact of the 2016 United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) guidelines on statins for primary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) warrants further analysis. We studied participants from MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis) aged 40 to 75 years and not on statins. We compared statin eligibility at baseline (2000-2002) and over follow-up between USPSTF and the 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guidelines. Coronary artery calcium (CAC) was measured at baseline. Absolute ASCVD event rates were calculated according to eligibility categories for each guideline. Among 4962 MESA participants (aged 59.3±8.8 years, 47.2% female), compared with ACC/AHA guidelines, baseline statin eligibility by USPSTF was significantly lower (34.4% versus 49.1%) and increased less over time (39.1% versus 59.1%) at examination 5 [years 2010-2012]). Compared with ACC/AHA, participants eligible by USPSTF were less likely to have zero CAC at baseline (36.6% versus 41.2%) and had higher rates of hard ASCVD events per 1000 person-years (11.6 [95% confidence interval, 10.2-13.3] versus 10.0 [8.9-11.3]). The hard ASCVD event rate in those eligible by ACC/AHA but not USPSTF was 6.5 (4.9-8.5) events per 1000 person-years, with the rate varying significantly according to baseline CAC (4.2 [2.7-6.7] events in those with CAC=0, 12.8 [8.3-19.9] events in those with CAC >100). In MESA, compared with ACC/AHA, the USPSTF statin guidelines resulted in a 15% absolute decrease in eligibility. Participants with discordant eligibility had ASCVD rates that varied significantly according to baseline CAC, suggesting CAC could aid clinical decision making for statins in these individuals.

Miedema MD ，Dardari ZA ，Kianoush S ，Virani SS ，Yeboah J ，Knickelbine T ，Sandfort V ，Rodriguez CJ ，Nasir K ，Blaha MJ ... -  《Journal of the American Heart Association》

Statin Trials, Cardiovascular Events, and Coronary Artery Calcification: Implications for a Trial-Based Approach to Statin Therapy in MESA.

This study sought to determine whether coronary artery calcium (CAC) could be used to optimize statin allocation among individuals for whom trial-based evidence supports efficacy of statin therapy. Recently, allocation of statins was proposed for primary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) based on proven efficacy from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of statin therapy, a so-called trial-based approach. The study used data from MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis) with 5,600 men and women, 45 to 84 years of age, and free of clinical ASCVD, lipid-lowering therapy, or missing information for risk factors at baseline examination. During 10 years' follow-up, 354 ASCVD and 219 hard coronary heart disease (CHD) events occurred. Based on enrollment criteria for 7 RCTs of statin therapy in primary prevention, 73% of MESA participants (91% of those >55 years of age) were eligible for statin therapy according to a trial-based approach. Among those individuals, CAC = 0 was common (44%) and was associated with low rates of ASCVD and CHD (3.9 and 1.7, respectively, per 1,000 person-years). There was a graded increase in event rates with increasing CAC score, and in individuals with CAC >100 (27% of participants) the rates of ASCVD and CHD were 18.9 and 12.7, respectively. Consequently, the estimated number needed to treat (NNT) in 10 years to prevent 1 event varied greatly according to CAC score. For ASCVD events, the NNT was 87 for CAC = 0 and 19 for CAC >100. For CHD events, the NNT was 197 for CAC = 0 and 28 for CAC >100. Most MESA participants qualified for trial-based primary prevention with statins. Among the individuals for whom trial-based evidence supports efficacy of statin therapy, CAC = 0 and CAC >100 were common and associated with low and high cardiovascular risks, respectively. This information may guide shared decision making aimed at targeting evidence-based statins to those who are likely to benefit the most.

Mortensen MB ，Falk E ，Li D ，Nasir K ，Blaha MJ ，Sandfort V ，Rodriguez CJ ，Ouyang P ，Budoff M ... -  《-》