AUTHOR=Luchian Maria-Luiza , Lochy Stijn , Motoc Andreea , Belsack Dries , Magne Julien , Roosens Bram , de Mey Johan , Tanaka Kaoru , Scheirlynck Esther , Boeckstaens Sven , Van den Bussche Karen , De Potter Tom , von Kemp Berlinde , Galloo Xavier , François Clara , Weytjens Caroline , Droogmans Steven , Cosyns Bernard
TITLE=Prognostic Value of Coronary Artery Calcium Score in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients
JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine
VOLUME=8
YEAR=2021
URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cardiovascular-medicine/articles/10.3389/fcvm.2021.684528
DOI=10.3389/fcvm.2021.684528
ISSN=2297-055X
ABSTRACT=Background: The association of known cardiovascular risk factors with poor prognosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been recently emphasized. Coronary artery calcium (CAC) score is considered a risk modifier in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. We hypothesized that the absence of CAC might have an additional predictive value for an improved cardiovascular outcome of hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
Materials and methods: We prospectively included 310 consecutive hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Thirty patients with history of coronary artery disease were excluded. Chest computed tomography (CT) was performed in all patients. Demographics, medical history, clinical characteristics, laboratory findings, imaging data, in-hospital treatment, and outcomes were retrospectively analyzed. A composite endpoint of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) was defined.
Results: Two hundred eighty patients (63.2 ± 16.7 years old, 57.5% male) were included in the analysis. 46.7% patients had a CAC score of 0. MACE rate was 21.8% (61 patients). The absence of CAC was inversely associated with MACE (OR 0.209, 95% CI 0.052–0.833, p = 0.027), with a negative predictive value of 84.5%.
Conclusion: The absence of CAC had a high negative predictive value for MACE in patients hospitalized with COVID-19, even in the presence of cardiac risk factors. A semi-qualitative assessment of CAC is a simple, reproducible, and non-invasive measure that may be useful to identify COVID-19 patients at a low risk for developing cardiovascular complications.