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Background-Coronary atherosclerosis and cognitive impairment are both age-related diseases, with similar risk factors. Coronary artery calcium (CAC), a marker of coronary atherosclerosis, may play a role in early detection of individuals prone to cognitive decline. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between CAC and cognitive function, and the capability of CAC to identify participants with a high risk of dementia in a Chinese community-based population. Methods-A total of 1 332 participants, aged 40-80 years and free of dementia from a community located in Beijing were included. All participants completed neurocognitive questionnaires and noncontrast CT examinations. Cognitive performance tests (including verbal memory, semantic fluency, executive function, and global cognitive function tests), the Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Aging, and Incidence of Dementia (CIDE) risk score, and the CAC score (CACS) were evaluated by questionnaires and CT. A CAIDE score ≥ 10 was considered to indicate a high risk of dementia in late-life. Participants were divided into three groups according to CACS (0, 1-399, ≥ 400). Results-After adjusting for risk factors, CACS was significantly associated with verbal memory ( r = -0.083, P = 0.003) and global cognitive function ( r = -0.070, P = 0.012). The prevalence of a high risk of dementia in the subgroups of CACS = 0, 1-399, and ≥ 400 was 4.67%, 13.66%, and 24.79%, respectively ( P < 0.001). Individuals with CACS ≥ 400 had a higher risk of CAIDE score ≥ 10 [OR = 2.30 (1.56, 4.56), P = 0.014] than those with CACS = 0. The receiver-operating characteristic curves showed that the capability of CACS to identify participants with a high risk of dementia was moderate (AUC = 0.70, 95% CI: 0.67-0.72, P < 0.001). Conclusions-CAC, a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis, was significantly associated with cognitive performance in verbal memory and global cognitive function. CAC had a moderate capability to identify participants with a high risk of dementia, independent of age, education, and other risk factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A limitation associated with coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) is the lack of a normal reference value for aortic root dimensions and the uncertainty of the influence of age and gender on these dimensions. The purpose of the present study was to identify the normal values and variations of aortic root dimensions in healthy individuals and investigate how gender and age affect aortic root size. Methods: A total of 1286 healthy yellow population (52.7 ± 11.0 years, 634 male) who underwent CCTA were retrospectively included in the present study. Male and female patients were divided into seven groups according to age (< 30 years old, 30– 39, 40– 49, 50– 59, 60– 69, 70– 79, ≥ 80 years old). In these age groups, we measured and compared the parameters of the aortic root. Results: After body surface area (BSA) correction, the aortic root parameters of females were found to be greater than those of males in the 40– 49 age group (P< 0.05). There were no significant differences in aortic root parameters between genders in other age groups, except for the diameter of the ascending aorta, which was greater in females (P< 0.05). In males, age was positively correlated with aortic root parameters (P< 0.05), except for the annulus short diameter and LVOT short diameter. In females, age was positively correlated with aortic root parameters (P< 0.05), except for the left coronary ostia height and the LVOT short diameter. Conclusion: Aortic root dimensions are affected by age and gender. After BSA correction, females show larger aortic root dimensions than males, and aortic root diameters increase with age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]