Coronary disease & ACSCohort study
Urinary Metal Levels and Coronary Artery Calcification
- Prospective cohort study
Authors' conclusion
Exposure to metals was generally associated with extent of coronary calcification at baseline and follow-up.
Study context
- Population
- MESA participants with spot urinary metal levels at baseline (2000–2002) and 1 to 4 repeated CAC measures over 10 years
- Participants
- 6,418 participants
- Exposure
- Highest vs lowest quartile of urinary metal levels
- Outcome
- Baseline CAC and cumulative change in CAC
- Follow-up
- 10-year period
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
CAC levels, highest vs lowest quartile of urinary metal
% higher CAC
- cadmium, over 10-year period
- 75% (95% CI 47%–107%)
- cadmium, at baseline
- 51% (95% CI 32%–74%)
- tungsten, over 10-year period
- 45% (95% CI 23%–71%)
- uranium, over 10-year period
- 39% (95% CI 17%–64%)
- cobalt, over 10-year period
- 47% (95% CI 25%–74%)
- Copper: estimate dropped after adjustment for clinical factors
- 55% to 33%
- Zinc: estimate dropped after adjustment for clinical factors
- 85% to 57%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Baseline CAC (all participants)
- Median CAC (Q1-Q3: 0.7-58.2)
- 6.3
Original publication
Urinary Metal Levels and Coronary Artery Calcification. J Am Coll Cardiol. Published 18 September 2024. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2024.07.020
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it