Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of REGARDS participants free of cardiovascular diseas
| Characteristics | Black (n=9,416) | White (n=13,091) |
|---|---|---|
| Age (years)±SD | 63±9 | 64±9 |
| Women n(%) | 6,087 (65) | 7,165 (55) |
| Education <high school n(%) | 1,656 (18) | 771 (6) |
| Income <$35,000 n(%) | 4,783 (51) | 4,098 (31) |
| Region | ||
| Belt* n(%) | 3,178 (34) | 4,618 (35) |
| Buckle† n(%) | 1,714 (18) | 3,016 (23) |
| Non-Belt n(%) | 4,524 (48) | 5,457 (42) |
| Insurance Status | ||
| Yes | 8,398 (89%) | 12,445 (95%) |
| No | 1,006 (11%) | 636 (5%) |
| BMI kg/m2±SD | 31±7 | 28±6 |
| Systolic blood pressure ±SD mmHg | 130±17 | 125±15 |
| Behavioral Health Measures | ||
| Current smoking n(%) | 1,553 (17) | 1,553(12) |
| Never exercises n(%) | 3,296 (36) | 3,923 (30) |
| Alcohol Use n(%) | ||
| Current | 4,125 (44) | 7,959 (61) |
| Never | 3,287 (35) | 3,497 (27) |
| Past | 2,004 (21) | 1,635 (13) |
| Elevated Depressive Symptoms | 1,165 (12) | 1,067 (8) |
| Elevated Stress | 3,056 (33) | 3,172 (24) |
| Comorbidities | ||
| Diabetes n(%) | 2,442 (27) | 1,528 (12) |
| Atrial fibrillation n(%) | 507 (6) | 757 (6) |
| Left ventricular hypertrophy n(%) | 1,251 (14) | 718(6) |
| EKG Variables | ||
| Heart rate ±SD, bpm | 68±12 | 66±11 |
| QRS interval ±SD, ms | 86±13 | 88±14 |
| Corrected QT interval ±SD, ms | 406±22 | 406±22 |
| Laboratory Parameters | ||
| Estimated Glomerular filtration rate | ||
| ≥90 n(%) | 4,999 (56) | 5,590 (44) |
| 60–89 n(%) | 3,083 (35) | 6,091 (48) |
| 45–59 n(%) | 519 (6) | 740 (6) |
| <45 n(%) | 320 (4) | 270 (2) |
| Albumin to Creatinine Ratio | ||
| <15 n(%) | 6,501 (73) | 10,084 (80) |
| 15–30 n(%) | 951 (11) | 1,293 (10) |
| >30 n(%) | 1,470 (17) | 1,214 (10) |
| Total cholesterol mg/dL ±SD | 195±40 | 196±38 |
| HDL mg/dL ±SD | 54±16 | 52±17 |
| Medications | ||
| Statins n(%) | 2,250 (24) | 3,325 (26) |
| Antihypertensives n(%) | 6,012 (64) | 5,856 (45) |
*
The stroke belt represents regions of the southeastern United States and have a higher incidence of stroke and stroke-associated mortality than other parts of the country. This region is represented by Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana and regions of North Carolina and South Carolina.
†
The stroke buckle, which are regions of the US with stroke-associated mortality rates that are higher than the stroke belt, are represented by the coastal plain regions of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.