Ethnic Differences in C-Reactive Protein Concentrations

BACKGROUND: Limited data exist regarding the ethnic differences in C-reactive protein (CRP) concentra-tions, an inflammatory marker associated with risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). We hypothesized that known CVD risk factors, including anthropometric characteristics, would explain much of the observed ethnic variation in CRP. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional analysis of 3154 women, without known CVD and not receiving hormone therapy, enrolled in the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN), a multiethnic prospective study of pre- and perimenopausal women. RESULTS: The study population was 47.4 % white