Footnotes

• Contributors PM and PG: Hypothesis formulation, statistical analysis, interpretation of data and manuscript drafting. RS and VV: Literature review, study design and critical review of manuscript for intellectual content. LA: Study design, interpretation of data, critical review, editing and final approval of the intellectual content of the manuscript.

• Funding None.

• Disclaimer MESA is conducted and supported by the NHLBI in collaboration with the MESA Study Investigators. This manuscript was prepared using the limited access dataset obtained from the NHLBI and does not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of the MESA or the NHLBI.

• Competing interests None.

• Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; internally peer reviewed.