Coronary artery disease prediction based on breast arterial calcification in women undergoing mammography as a screening for breast cancer

Abstract

Objective: The aim of the study was to test the potential role of breast arterial calcification (BAC) in the prediction of coronary artery disease (CAD) in women. The criterion standard for CAD diagnostics was coronary angiography.

Methods: This retrospective study enrolled 163 consecutive women, who underwent digital mammography and coronary angiography in our hospital. We assessed the presence and severity of BAC, and tested whether the presence and/or extent of BAC could be a predictor for CAD, quantified by Gensini score.

Results: BAC was presented in 34 patients (21%). Neither the presence of CAD (17 patients, 50%, vs 55 42.6%, P = 0.44), nor the Gensini score (20.5 ± 29.7 vs 15.4 ± 24.1, P = 0.3) differed significantly between BAC-present and BAC-absent patients.A finding of triple-vessel disease, however, more frequently occurred in the BAC-present (seven patients, 20.6%) than in the BAC-absent (nine patients, 7%) group, odds ratio (OR) 3.1, 95% CI 1-9.5, P = 0.049. The presence of BAC did not significantly increase the odds for the presence of CAD (OR = 1.29, P = 0.54). Among the subgroup of patients with CAD, BAC presence was associated with triple vessel disease (OR = 3.34, P = 0.049).

Conclusions: We did not confirm BAC as a predictor of CAD. However, BAC showed association with more severe forms of coronary atherosclerosis (triple vessel disease).