Prevalence and severity of coronary artery calcification based on the epidemiologic pattern: A propensity matched comparison of asymptomatic Korean and Chinese adults

Background Lifestyle, environmental, and genetic factors substantially influence cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. We aimed to explore epidemiologic trends in coronary artery calcium scores (CACS), as a marker of CVD, along with possible differences by geographic area and study period in separate East Asian populations. Methods We generated 3 matched groups (n = 702) using a propensity scoring approach derived from a Korean (N = 48,901) and Chinese cohort (N = 927) as follows: (1) A recent Chinese group and (2) recent Korean group, both of whom underwent CACS scanning from 2012–2014; and (3) a past Korean group who underwent CACS scanning 8–10 years before the index group (2002–2006). We used logistic regression to generate odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) to estimate the likelihood of having CACS between the groups, based on CACS stratified by severity: > 0 (any), > 100 (moderate), and > 400 (severe). Results The prevalence of any, moderate, or severe CACS did not differ significantly between the recent Chinese and Korean groups. Notably, the odds of the presence of moderate CACS in the recent Chinese group (OR: 3.05, 95% CI: 1.49–6.71, P-value < 0.001) and the presence of any CACS in the recent Korean group (OR: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.17–2.15, P-value < 0.001) were significantly higher than in the past Korean group. Conclusions In this study involving separate East Asian populations, there were no geographic differences in the prevalence of CACS. However, changes in other unmeasured factors over time are likely the culprits for the elevated prevalence of CACS in asymptomatic East Asians.