RESUMO
AIM: Assessment of the dynamics of coronary calcium score (CCS) evaluated with electron-beam tomography (EBT) under the influence of statin therapy in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and hyperlipidemia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 119 hyperlipidemic CHD patients (mean age 62.1 +/- 9.3 years, 75% males) were included in the study. 69 patients were treated with statins (the study group), 50 patients rejected statins (the control group). CCS was calculated according to Agatson. Initial study parameters in the groups were similar. Mean follow-up was 25.3 +/- 10.6 months. RESULTS: A mean increase of CCS in the study group was 62 +/- 84 units (27.1%) and 122 +/- 180 units (65.2%) in the control group (p = 0.044). Total plasma cholesterol (TC) in the study group decreased by 25.1% from 6.99 +/- 0.92 to 5.24 +/- 0.54 mmol/l), in the control group--by 0.5% (from 6.67 +/- 1.01 to 6.63 +/- 1.0 mmol/l). A weak but significant negative correlation was found between a fall in total cholesterol and CCS increment (r = -0.243, p = 0.008). CONCLUSION: Calcium scoring with EBT or multispiral computed tomography can be used both for pre-clinical diagnosis of coronary atherosclerosis and for monitoring of coronary atherosclerosis progression under influence of hyperlipidemic therapy.
