Novel CAC Dispersion and Density Score to Predict Myocardial Infarction and Cardiovascular Mortality.

Background: Coronary artery calcification (CAC) provides robust prediction for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), but current techniques disregard plaque distribution and protective effects of high CAC density. We investigated whether a novel CAC-dispersion and density (CAC-DAD) score will exhibit superior prognostic value compared with the Agatston score (AS) for MACE prediction.

Methods: We conducted a multicenter, retrospective, cross-sectional study of 961 patients (median age, 67 years; 61% men) who underwent cardiac computed tomography for cardiovascular or perioperative risk assessment.

Association between inflammatory bowel disease, current therapies, and cardiovascular events: a review and meta-analysis of data from 2.2 million individuals.

Background/aims: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is associated with increased cardiovascular (CV) risk. Advanced therapies that treat IBD may modify this risk. Our systematic review and meta-analysis aim to investigate the association between IBD, its subtypes (Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis), and its therapies, with CV disease.

Triglyceride to High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Ratio as a Marker of Subclinical Coronary Atherosclerosis and Hepatic Steatosis in Familial Hypercholesterolemia.

Objective: Features of the cardiometabolic syndrome are prevalent in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). Triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TG/HDL-C) ratio, a surrogate marker of insulin resistance, may be a robust predictor of cardiac events in the general population. We explored the association between TG/HDL-C ratio and high-risk coronary artery plaque (HRP) and hepatic steatosis (HS) in asymptomatic patients with FH.

Atherosclerosis as the Damocles' sword of human evolution: insights from nonhuman ape-like primates, ancient human remains, and isolated modern human populations.

Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of death worldwide, and the predominant risk factors are advanced age and high-circulating low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). However, the findings of atherosclerosis in relatively young mummified remains and a lack of atherosclerosis in chimpanzees despite high LDL-C call into question the role of traditional cardiovascular risk factors. The inflammatory theory of atherosclerosis may explain the discrepancies between traditional risk factors and observed phenomena in current literature.

Hepatic fat as a novel marker for high-risk coronary atherosclerotic plaque features in familial hypercholesterolaemia.

Background & Aims: Hepatic steatosis has been associated with increased risk of coronary artery disease. Individuals with familial hypercholesterolaemia have accelerated but variable progression of coronary artery disease. We investigated whether hepatic steatosis is associated with novel coronary atherosclerosis biomarkers in adults with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia, using comprehensive coronary computed tomographic angiography.