Distal Upper Extremity Arterial Calcification as a Predictor for Subclinical Coronary Artery Disease by Coronary Artery Calcium Scoring

Abstract

Summary: Several studies have linked calcification of the thoracic and lower extremity arterial trunks to an increased risk of developing coronary artery disease (CAD). Calcifications of the radial and/or ulnar artery are regularly identified in hand/wrist x-rays; however, the clinical relevance of these findings as related to identifying subclinical CAD is not well understood. Associations between CAD and upper extremity calcifications have been reported, but the timeline is unclear. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between upper extremity arterial calcifications on hand radiographs with CAD by coronary artery calcification (CAC) scoring in patients with no known history of CAD. This is a pilot single-center, prospective, matched cohort study. We included patients with no known history of CAD, related symptoms, or major risk factors. We recruited five patients with calcifications (cal+) and five patients matched by age, race, sex, and medical history but without calcifications (cal−). CAC scores were determined from computed tomography scanning, and lipid profile was evaluated. In the cal+ group, the mean CAC total score was 244.1; in the control (cal−) group, it was 85.2. The mean total cholesterol levels were 220.8 mg per dL and 167 mg per dL in the cal+ and cal− groups, respectively. Two cal+ patients with CAC scores of 937 and 669 died shortly after being enrolled in our study. Preliminary findings suggest that calcifications in the radial or ulnar artery in otherwise asymptomatic patients with no history of CAD may be an independent sign of CAD.