Abstract 705: Coronary Artery Calcification and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in South Asians

Abstract

Compared to other ethnic groups, South Asians are at higher risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes mellitus. Traditional risk factor assessment, developed mainly in a white European-descent populations, may underestimate the incidence of cardiovascular disease in South Asians. Our study examined the relationship between coronary calcification, a strong predictor of cardiovascular events, and other traditional cardiovascular risk factors in South Asians. We analyzed the association of coronary calcification with both traditional and emerging factors commonly used to predict cardiovascular risk. These factors include the lipid panel (total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C, and triglycerides), fasting blood glucose, high-sensitivity CRP, family history of coronary artery disease and diabetes, and the ACC/AHA-recommended atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk score. We found that fasting blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, insulin, BMI, and personal history of hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and diabetes mellitus were all significantly associated with a non-zero calcium score. High-sensitivity CRP, the conventional lipid panel, the ASCVD risk score, and family history of coronary artery disease and diabetes were not. Because the lipid panel was not predictive while the glucose dysmetabolism risk factors were, the evaluation of South Asians should include and focus on pre-diabetic risk factors, such as fasting blood glucose, insulin, and hemoglobin A1c, and measurements of obesity.