Improved Prediction of Heart Disease Risk: CT Scans Outperform Polygenic Risk Scores in Middle-Aged Adults

Enhancing Heart Disease Risk Assessment: Adding Coronary Artery Calcium Score Improves Accuracy in Middle-Aged and Older Adults
Researchers at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine conducted a study comparing the effectiveness of coronary artery calcium score and polygenic risk score in predicting individual risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) in middle-aged and older adults. The study, involving data from two cohorts, found that adding the coronary artery calcium score to traditional risk markers improved the accuracy of CHD risk prediction, while the polygenic risk score showed slightly lower predictive ability. The coronary artery calcium score, detected through CT scans, and the polygenic risk score based on genetics are potential markers for assessing CHD risk and informing preventive measures.

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