Regarding CAC the multivariate analyses were repeated after log transformation of CAC levels in those patients with CAC baseline levels greater than zero (n = 61).
After adjusting for age, sex, total cholesterol, current smoking and race, MetS was not associated with prevalence of CAC, but it was associated with a higher level of CAC if detectable (ratio of geometric means of CAC levels 1.55) (Table 5).
The team plans to continue following the participants to see whether those with higher CAC levels will run into more health problems down the road.
"You can have the disease for many years without symptoms," he told Live Science, adding, "Now with this technique, we can know if people have the disease way before they have symptoms". The researchers compared people's CAC levels with their amount of coffee consumption, classified as one cup a day, one to three cups a day, three to five cups a day and at least five cups a day.
There was a similar rise in CAC levels as assessed by in vitro culture.
As well, 11 healthy controls without clinically evidence of CAD were recruited for comparison of baseline EPC and CAC levels.
Again, there were no differences in CAC levels between patients with a recent ACS compared to those with clinically stable symptoms (p<0.05, data not shown).
Baseline CAC levels were 2-fold higher in healthy controls compared to patients with CAD at baseline (e.g., 38.8+/−2.3 vs. 17.1+/−1.5, p<0.01, Figure 2A).
However, in those patients receiving Atorvastatin, there was an early increase in CAC levels until 24 hours post-PCI followed by a tapering off effect – although 14 day levels remained approximately 2-fold higher than baseline (e.g., 4 h: 2.7+/−1.5, 24 h: 3.4+/−0.6, 14 d: 1.9+/−0.3, Figure 2B).
A positive association of uric acid and Cac levels has not been reported before, even though each of them have been associated with the MSy.[9] A small study has shown a negative association between calcemia, uric acid levels and xanthine oxidase activity in 2 healthy volonteers [36].
