High Physical Activity Levels Could Increase CAC Risk
White males with high levels of physical activity in youth have increased risk for developing coronary artery calcification (CAC) in middle age, according to the findings of a recent study.
The study included 3175 participants who were involved in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study. Physical activity was self-reported using questionnaires at 8 follow-up examinations from March 1985 through June 1986 to June 2010 through May 2011.
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Based on the data, the researchers categorized participants as either below physical activity guidelines (n = 1813 [57.1%]), meeting physical activity guidelines (n = 1094 [34.5%]), or 3 times above physical activity guidelines (n = 286 [8.4%]). Computed tomography scan was used to measure the presence of CAC at year 25.
After 25 years of follow-up, the researchers found that participants with the highest level of physical activity had a higher adjusted odds ratio (OR, 1.27) for developing CAC than those who did not meet physical activity guidelines.
Analyses that stratified participants by race showed that white participants who engaged in the highest levels of physical activity had higher odds for developing CAC (OR 1.80). However, analyses did not show similar findings among black participants.
Further stratification revealed that white males had higher odds for developing CAC (OR 1.86), and while the analyses showed similar trends for white females, the findings were not significant (OR 1.71).
“White individuals who participated in 3 times the recommended [physical activity] guidelines over 25 years had higher odds of developing coronary subclinical atherosclerosis by middle age," the researchers concluded. "These findings warrant further exploration, especially by race, into possible biological mechanisms for CAC risk at very high levels of [physical activity].”
—Melissa Weiss
Reference:
Laddu DR, Rana JS, Murillo R, et al. 25-year physical activity trajectories and development of subclinical coronary artery disease as measured by coronary artery calcium [published online October 16, 2017]. Mayo Clin Proc. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocp.2017.07.016.