Association of novel dietary and lifestyle inflammation scores with incidence and progression of coronary artery calcification in middle-late adulthood: a longitudinal cohort study

• Published in: Nutrition journal Vol. 23; no. 1; pp. 127 - 13
• Main Authors: Ramezankhani, Azra, Hadaegh, Parto, Hadaegh, Farzad
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 21-10-2024; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Analysis; Calcification; Cardiovascular diseases; Care and treatment; Cohort Studies; Coronary artery calcium; Coronary Artery Disease - epidemiology; CT imaging; Diet; Diet - methods; Diet - statistics & numerical data; Disease Progression; Female; Health aspects; Humans; Incidence; Inflammation; Inflammation - epidemiology; Life Style; Lifestyle; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Middle Aged; Prevention; Proportional Hazards Models; Risk Factors; Score; Vascular Calcification - epidemiology; Iran; Adult; Lifestyle; Score; Inflammation; Diet; Coronary artery calcium
• ISSN: 1475-2891; 1475-2891
• DOI: 10.1186/s12937-024-01028-x

Dietary patterns and lifestyle factors can influence the intensity of systemic inflammation and, consequently, the development and progression of coronary artery calcification (CAC). This study aimed to explore the relationship between the inflammatory potentials of diet and lifestyle, as captured by novel dietary and lifestyle inflammation scores (DIS and LIS), with CAC incidence and progression.
We analyzed data on 5949 Black and White men and women ≥ 45 years old participating in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) cohort. Baseline data on diet and lifestyle factors were collected from 2000 to 2002 and used to construct the DIS and LIS, which reflect the overall inflammatory potential of diet and lifestyle. Cox proportional hazard regression was used to calculate the hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for CAC incidence and progression across quartiles of DIS and LIS, adjusting for potential confounders.
Over a median follow-up of 8.0 years, among 2638 participants with zero CAC score at baseline, 977 individuals developed positive scores, and 1681 out of 2561 participants showed CAC progression. For individuals in the highest (more pro-inflammatory) compared to the lowest (more anti-inflammatory) quartiles of the LIS, the multivariable-adjusted HR for CAC incidence was 1.35 (95% CI, 1.10-1.65; P trend < 0.002). This association was stronger among younger adults aged < 60 years compared to those aged ≥ 60 years, with respective values of 1.76 (1.34-2.30) and 1.02 (0.78-1.35) (P interaction < 0.001). However, the LIS was not significantly associated with the progression of existing CAC. Among the components of the LIS, a body mas index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m
and current smoking were significant predictors for the incidence and progression of CAC, respectively. No significant association was found between DIS and CAC incidence and progression.
Lifestyle factors, through their impact on systemic inflammation, may be associated with a higher risk of CAC incidence in middle and late adulthood.