Table 1.

Baseline characteristics of the study group – MESA (2000–2002).

Characteristic	Total (N = 6,760)	Non-obese hsCRP <2 (N = 2,248)	Non-obese hsCRP ≥2 (N = 1,016)	Obese hsCRP <2 (N = 1,246)	Obese hsCRP ≥2 (N = 2,250)	P
Age, years	62.2 ± 10	61.7 ± 11	63.0 ± 10	62.5 ± 10	62.0 ± 10	<0.001
Gender, women	53%	39%	47%	52%	69%	<0.001
Race
▪Whites	39%	40%	40%	41%	35%	<0.001
▪Chinese	12%	24%	12%	7%	2%
▪African American	27%	20%	25%	28%	36%
▪Hispanic	22%	16%	23%	24%	26%
BMI, kg/m2	28.3 ± 5	24.2 ± 3	24.8 ± 3	30.6 ± 4	32.9 ± 5	<0.001
Waist circumference (cm)	98.2 ± 14	87.3 ± 9	88.9 ± 8	106 ± 10	109 ± 12	<0.001
hsCRP, mg/L	1.92 (0.84 – 4.26)	0.74 (0.43 – 1.20)	3.81 (2.70 – 6.18)	1.08 (0.68 – 1.49)	4.71 (3.16 – 8.54)	<0.001
Systolic blood pressure, mmHg	127 ± 22	122 ± 21	126 ± 22	128 ± 21	130 ± 21	0.04
Diastolic blood pressure, mmHg	72 ± 10	72 ± 10	72 ± 11	73 ± 10	72 ± 10	0.07
Hypertension	45%	33%	43%	49%	55%	<0.001
Fasting glucose, mg/dL	105 ± 31	100 ± 24	102 ± 35	105 ± 28	110 ± 35	<0.001
Diabetes	14%	10%	9%	15%	20%	<0.001
Creatinine, mg/dL	0.96 ± 0.3	0.96 ± 0.2	0.96 ± 0.2	0.96 ± 0.3	0.94 ± 0.4	<0.001
Smoking						<0.001
▪Former	37%	36%	36%	37%	38%
▪Current	13%	11%	19%	11%	14%
LDL, mg/dL	117 ± 31	116 ± 31	117 ± 32	118 ± 31	118 ± 32	0.07
HDL, mg/dL	51 ± 15	53 ± 16	52 ± 17	49 ± 13	49 ± 13	<0.001
Triglycerides, mg/dL	111 (78 – 161)	95 (69 – 138)	108 (78 – 156)	120 (85 – 165)	125 (88 – 181)	<0.001
Family history of heart attack	43%	37%	40%	46%	48%	<0.001
Metabolic Syndrome Score	2.2 ± 1.4	1.3 ± 1.1	1.6 ± 1.2	2.8 ± 1.1	3.0 ± 1.1	<0.001
Metabolic Syndrome	41%	15%	22%	57%	67%	<0.001
Medications for hypertension	37%	26%	32%	42%	48%	<0.001
Medications for cholesterol	16%	14%	12%	22%	17%	<0.001
10-yr FRS (%)	8.2 ± 7%	8.1 ± 7%	9.0 ± 8%	8.7 ± 7%	7.6 ± 7%	<0.001
CAC (%)	50%	48%	51%	54%	48%	0.003
cIMT (mm)	0.870 ± 0.19	0.837 ± 0.19	0.876 ± 0.20	0.884 ± 0.19	0.893 ± 0.19	0.05