Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of age- and sex-balanced African Americans and whites in the Cardiovascular Heart Study (CHS)
| n (%) or mean (±SD) | Whites (n=795) | African Americans (n=795) | P value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age, years | 73 (±6) | 73 (±6) | 1.000 |
| Female | 499(63%) | 499 (63%) | 1.000 |
| Married | 543 (68%) | 354 (45%) | <0.001 |
| Living alone | 80 (10%) | 256 (32%) | <0.001 |
| College or higher education | 333 (42%) | 272 (34%) | 0.002 |
| Income $25,000 or more | 298 (38%) | 156 (20%) | <0.001 |
| Current smoker | 93 (12%) | 133 (17%) | 0.004 |
| Alcohol, units /week | 2.2 (±5.4) | 1.6 (±6.2) | 0.047 |
| Body mass index, kg/m2 | 26.4 (±4.1) | 28.2 (±4.5) | <0.001 |
| Mini-mental state examination score of 30 | 27.9 (±2.4) | 25.6 (±3.7) | <0.001 |
| Self-reported fair to poor general health | 176 (22%) | 338 (43%) | <0.001 |
| Influenza vaccination | 347 (44%) | 300 (38%) | 0.016 |
| Heart failure | 32 (4%) | 55 (7%) | 0.011 |
| Coronary artery disease | 146 (18%) | 155 (20%) | 0.565 |
| Hypertension | 458 (58%) | 587 (74%) | <0.001 |
| Diabetes | 119 (15%) | 199 (25%) | <0.001 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 176 (22%) | 115 (15%) | <0.001 |
| Stroke | 24 (3%) | 57 (7%) | <0.001 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease | 106 (13%) | 103 (13%) | 0.824 |
| Pneumonia | 227 (29%) | 202 (25%) | 0.207 |
| Arthritis | 403 (51%) | 453 (57%) | 0.012 |
| Cancer | 99 (13%) | 67 (8%) | 0.009 |
| Medications | |||
| ACE inhibitors | 57 (7%) | 118 (15%) | <0.001 |
| Beta blockers | 113 (14%) | 84 (11%) | 0.027 |
| Calcium channel blockers | 91 (11%) | 195 (25%) | <0.001 |
| Diuretics | 225 (28%) | 271 (34%) | 0.013 |
| Aspirin | 28 (4%) | 41 (5%) | 0.110 |
| Statins | 15 (2%) | 34 (4%) | 0.006 |
| NSAIDs | 95 (12%) | 121 (15%) | 0.057 |
| Pulse rate, beats/min | 68 (±11) | 69 (±11) | 0.009 |
| Systolic blood pressure, mm Hg | 135 (±22) | 142 (±23) | <0.001 |
| Diastolic blood pressure, mm Hg | 70 (±11) | 75 (±11) | <0.001 |
| Serum creatinine, mg/dL | 0.92 (±.29) | 1.07 (±.66) | <0.001 |