Characteristics of Intracranial Aneurysms According to Levels of Coronary Artery Calcium

Background and Purpose Several vascular risk factors are known to be associated with the occurrence of intracranial aneurysms (IAs). Coronary artery calcium (CAC), which reflects the atherosclerotic burden of the coronary arteries, is a known predictor of cardiovascular events and stroke. We investigated the relationship between IA and CAC. Methods We retrospectively enrolled Korean subjects at a single university hospital who had both brain magnetic resonance angiography and cardiac computed tomography as part of health examinations from January 2010 to July 2017. Subjects were categorized into 4 groups according to CAC score as assessed by cardiac computed tomography: zero (0), low (1-99), intermediate (100-399), or high (400). Then, the prevalence of IA in each CAC score group was assessed. We also performed subgroup analysis by age, sex, and location of IA. Results A total of 4934 subjects (mean age, 54.19.8 years; %women, 42.2%) were included for analysis. IAs were detected in 258 subjects (5.23%). The prevalence of IA significantly increased as the CAC score increased (4.8%, 5.4%, 6.4%, and 11.1%, respectively; P for trend, 0.004). In subjects over the age of 50 years, this correlation was more prominent in women than in men (7.1% versus 3.7%, 8.8% versus 4.4%, 8.6% versus 6.3%, and 21.1% versus 10.0%, respectively). Subgroup analysis for the aneurysm location showed that nonbifurcation aneurysm was associated with a high CAC score but bifurcation aneurysm was not. Multivariate logistic regression showed high CAC score was an independent risk factor for the presence of IA compared with zero CAC score (adjusted odds ratio, 2.16; 95% CI, 1.18-3.95). Conclusions A high CAC score was associated with the presence of IA. This relationship was more prominent in females and nonbifurcation aneurysms.