Table 2. Sex-specific, age-adjusted mean values and prevalence rates of baseline risk characteristics according to quartiles of hs-CRP levels.

	Quartiles of hs-CRP levels
	Men					Women
	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	P for trend	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	P for trend
hs-CRP range (mg/L)	< 0.24	0.24–0.47	0.48–0.96	≥ 0.97		< 0.17	0.17–0.35	0.36–0.77	≥0.78
hs-CRP (mg/L)#	0.16	0.35	0.65	1.76		0.16	0.26	0.50	1.47
Number of participants	205	206	205	205		427	430	429	428
Age (y)	58.2	58.1	59.3	58.9	0.283	54.2	57.3	58.0	58.8	< 0.001
Serum creatinine (mg/dL)	0.76	0.75	0.76	0.75	0.233	0.58	0.57	0.57	0.57	0.604
eGFR (mL/min per 1.73m2)	83.5	84.8	83.2	85.0	0.382	84.2	84.8	84.4	85.0	0.460
Body mass index (kg/m2)	22.8	23.7	24.5	24.7	< 0.001	21.3	22.8	24.0	24.4	< 0.001
Current smokers (%)	31	45	48	50	0.003	5	5	5	6	0.321
Alcohol intake (ethanol g/day)	23.7	28	28.9	27.3	0.463	1.7	2.3	1.7	2.4	0.212
Serum albumin (g/dL)	4.53	4.54	4.56	4.50	0.092	4.53	4.53	4.53	4.48	< 0.001
Systolic blood pressure (mmHg)	126	128	130	131	0.002	121	124	126	127	< 0.001
Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg)	80	81	81	82	0.145	74	76	77	77	< 0.001
Use of antihypertensive medication (%)	14	16	19	23	0.012	9	13	21	20	< 0.001
Serum total cholesterol (mg/dL)	202	208	209	207	0.339	220	223	224	220	0.521
High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (mg/dL)	64	61	57	55	< 0.001	72	68	64	61	< 0.001
Cholesterol-lowering medication (%)	2	3	4	6	0.008	8	9	13	10	0.669
Diabetes mellitus (%)	7	8	9	10	0.25	4	3	4	5	0.040

^#Median values are shown.

Abbreviations: hs-CRP, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein; eGFR, estimated glomerular filtration rate.