Evidence mapPaperPMID 40550709Full record

Trial reportBMJ open2025

Prevalence and severity of coronary artery disease in asymptomatic military air crew in the Netherlands: a prospective, cross-sectional study (SUSPECT).

Erik Frijters, Hendrik Nathoe, Remco Grobben, Lysette Broekhuizen, Rienk Rienks, Birgitta Velthuis

Registry-linked trialAbstract readClinical Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMJ open, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT05508893 (Screening for Coronary Artery Disease USing Primary Evaluation With Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography), which is not on this map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT05508893 naterminatednot on this map

Screening for Coronary Artery Disease USing Primary Evaluation With Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography (CCTA) in Aviation Medicine (SUSPECT)

TypeinterventionalSponsorUMC UtrechtRan2014 to 2022Enrolled250ConditionsCoronary Artery Disease (CAD), Coronary Artery Calcification, Occupational Diseases, Aviator'sArmsCT Angiography, Exercise stress test
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Erik FrijtersDepartment of Radiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands frijters@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0005-5004-7426
Hendrik NathoeDepartment of Cardiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands.
Remco GrobbenDepartment of Cardiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands.
Lysette BroekhuizenDepartment of Cardiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands.
Rienk RienksDepartment of Cardiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1472-1429
Birgitta VelthuisDepartment of Radiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveCoronary artery disease (CAD) is a main cause of incapacitating adverse cardiac events in aviation. Military aircrew ≥40 years in the Netherlands undergo a 5-year exercise ECG (X-ECG), which lacks precision to identify relevant CAD. The study aim was to identify the screening value of cardiac CT (CCT) in asymptomatic military aircrew.

designProspective, single-centre, cross-sectional study.

settingConducted at the Centre for Man in Aviation, Royal Netherlands Air Force. CT scans were performed at the University Medical Centre, Utrecht.

participantsAsymptomatic military aircrew ≥40 years were asked to undergo CCT, with coronary artery calcium score (CACS) and coronary CT angiography (CCTA), following their aeromedical exam. CCT was performed in 211 participants (median age 49.3 years (43.6-52.8), 98% men, 65% pilots). OUTCOME MEASURES: The main objective was to determine the prevalence of relevant CAD. Clinically relevant CAD (CR-CAD) is defined as CACS ≥100 and/or a stenosis ≥50%. Aeromedically relevant CAD (AR-CAD) includes CR-CAD and/or a left main stenosis >30% or an aggregate stenosis ≥120%. Secondary objectives included assessing the prevalence of mild coronary stenosis (defined as 25%-49% stenosis), the presence of high-risk plaque (HRP) features and CCT safety.

resultsCR-CAD was found in 25 male aircrew (12%), with a CACS of ≥100 in 21 (10%) and a stenosis ≥50% in 10 (5%), including two with CACS 0. Two additional men had ≥120% aggregate stenosis, bringing total AR-CAD to 27 (13%). Twenty-nine men (14%) had mild stenosis. HRP features were present in 44 (21%). There were no CT-related complications. Of 196 participants who underwent X-ECG, seven showed abnormal results; one had relevant CAD.

conclusionsContrast-enhanced CCTA provides additional information both on high-risk features and obstructive CAD compared with CACS only. CCT is safe and is of additional value to X-ECG in a low-risk population with a high-hazard occupation. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT05508893.

Indexed as

Coronary Artery DiseaseMilitary PersonnelAdultComputed Tomography AngiographyCoronary AngiographyCross-Sectional StudiesElectrocardiographyFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedNetherlandsPrevalenceProspective StudiesSeverity of Illness IndexAVIATION MEDICINECardiovascular DiseaseCardiovascular imagingComputed tomographyCoronary heart disease

Identifiers

PMID40550709
PMCPMC12186039

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.