Baseline characteristics of USE-IMT cohorts in the present analysis.

<p>Baseline characteristics of USE-IMT cohorts in the present analysis.</p

Relation between risk factor clusters and differences in CIMT (Overall).

<p><b>Each cluster was compared to individuals without any risk factor (reference group).</b> CIMT, mean common carotid intima media thickness. BP, elevated blood pressure; OW, overweight; TC, elevated total cholesterol; smoking, current smoking.For most of the risk factors, the sum of the individual risk factor differences was smaller than the observed mean difference for the cluster in the overall analyses. For example, the mean difference in common CIMT for the blood pressure—smoking cluster was 0.077 mm, whereas the sum of the individual risk factors was 0.053 (i.e., 0.031 + 0.022). A similar finding was found for the smoking-blood pressure- overweight cluster. This observation suggests synergetic effects of risk factors on CIMT.</p

Relation between numbers of risk factors and differences in CIMT by race-ethnic group.

<p><b>Each number of risk factors was compared to individuals without any risk factor (reference group). CIMT, mean common carotid intima media thickness.</b><a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0173393#pone.0173393.g003" target="_blank">Fig 3</a> presents the main findings of the overall analysis on risk factor clusters and CIMT. Within each risk factor cluster, there were graded relations with common CIMT. Within those with two risk factors, the cluster blood pressure-smoking had the highest CIMT (mean difference of 0.077 mm with those without risk factors) and the cluster with overweight- total cholesterol the least thickening (mean difference of 0.039 mm with those without risk factors), a difference reaching statistical significance with the cluster since the 95 confidence limits did not overlap. For people within the three risk factor cluster, elevated blood pressure, overweight and smoking had the highest common CIMT (0.084 mm). The pattern of the relationship between risk factor clusters and common CIMT were similar between sexes and race-ethnic groups, although some variation was observed between race-ethnic groups but was not significant due to limited minority samples sizes (<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0173393#pone.0173393.s001" target="_blank">S1</a> and <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0173393#pone.0173393.s002" target="_blank">S2</a> Figs). The interaction terms were not statistically significant.</p

Relation between numbers of risk factors and difference in CIMT (Overall and by sex).

<p>Each number of risk factors was compared to individuals without any risk factor (reference group). CIMT, mean common carotid intima media thickness.</p

Association between risk factors and mean common CIMT, by ethnicity.

<p>Point estimates for betas, lines represent 95% confidence intervals.</p

Effects of the Framingham risk factors in race/ethnic groups for the outcomes log CIMT (betas) and CV events (hazard ratios).

<p>The top half of the table displays betas and 95% confidence intervals of the Framingham risk factors for log CIMT for each race/ethnic group. The bottom half of the table displays hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals of the Framingham risk factors for CV events for each race/ethnic group. The % difference columns express the percentage difference in effect size (beta or hazard ratio) as compared to the White race/ethnic group. Risk factors printed in bold have significantly different effect sizes among race/ethnic groups (significant interaction).</p><p>^a Indicates significant difference as compared to Whites (p<0.05)</p><p>^b Cardiovascular events (first-time stroke or MI).</p><p>Effects of the Framingham risk factors in race/ethnic groups for the outcomes log CIMT (betas) and CV events (hazard ratios).</p

Details of participating USE-IMT cohorts.

<p>Abbreviations. ARIC: Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study; CAPS: Carotid Atherosclerosis Progression Study; CHS: Cardiovascular Health Study; CIRCS: Circulatory Risk in Communities Study; EAS: Edinburgh Artery Study; FATE: The Firefighters and Their Endothelium Study; Hoorn: The Hoorn Study; KIHD: Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study; Malmö: Malmö Diet and Cancer Study, MESA; Multi-race/ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis; NBS: Nijmegen Biomedical Study 2; NOMAS: Northern Manhattan Study; OSACA2: Osaka Follow-Up Study for Carotid Atherosclerosis 2; Tromsø: Tromsø Study; Whitehall: Whitehall II Study; CIMT: mean common carotid intima media thickness; FU: follow-up duration; MI: myocardial infarction; USA: United States of America; UK: United Kingdom; NLD: The Netherlands.</p><p>Details of participating USE-IMT cohorts.</p

Baseline properties per race/ethnic group.

<p>All data represent means (sd), unless stated otherwise.</p><p>^a Number of individuals with a CV event (first-time stroke or MI).</p><p>^b10-year event rate, estimated using Kaplan-Meier analysis.</p><p>Baseline properties per race/ethnic group.</p

Forest plots of the HR of the combined endpoint per one SD of annual mean CCA-IMT change (with 95% CIs).

<p>Panel I: Group A (asymptomatic individuals with three or more CVD risk factors), HR adjusted for age, sex and average mean CCA-IMT (model 1). Panel II: Group A (asymptomatic individuals with three or more CVD risk factors), HR adjusted for age, sex, average mean CCA-IMT and other CVD risk factors (model 2). Panel III: Group B (asymptomatic individuals with carotid plaques), HR adjusted for age, sex and average mean CCA-IMT (model 1). Panel IV: Group B (asymptomatic individuals with carotid plaques), HR adjusted for age, sex, average mean CCA-IMT and other CVD risk factors (model 2). Panel V: Group C (individuals with previous CVD events), HR adjusted for age, sex and average mean CCA-IMT (model 1). Panel VI: Group C (individuals with previous CVD events), HR adjusted for age, sex, average mean CCA-IMT and other CVD risk factors (model 2).</p

Forest plots of the HR of the combined endpoint per one SD of average mean CCA-IMT (with 95% CIs).

<p>Panel I: Group A (asymptomatic individuals with three or more CVD risk factors), HR adjusted for age, sex and annual mean CCA-IMT change (model 1). Panel II: Group A (asymptomatic individuals with three or more CVD risk factors), HR adjusted for age, sex, annual mean CCA-IMT change and other CVD risk factors (model 2). Panel III: Group B (asymptomatic individuals with carotid plaques), HR adjusted for age, sex and annual mean CCA-IMT change (model 1). Panel IV: Group B (asymptomatic individuals with carotid plaques), HR adjusted for age, sex, annual mean CCA-IMT change and other CVD risk factors (model 2). Panel V: Group C (individuals with previous CVD events), HR adjusted for age, sex and annual mean CCA-IMT change (model 1). Panel VI: Group C (individuals with previous CVD events), HR adjusted for age, sex, annual mean CCA-IMT change and other CVD risk factors (model 2).</p