NHLBI Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Candidate Gene Association Resource (CARe)

This sub-study [phs000557](./study.cgi?study_id=phs000557) ARIC_CARe contains genotype derived from sequence data and selected phenotype of subjects available from the [phs000557](./study.cgi?study_id=phs000557) study. Summary level phenotypes for the NHLBI ARIC Cohort study participants can be viewed at the top-level study page [phs000280](./study.cgi?study_id=phs000280) ARIC Cohort. Individual level phenotype data and molecular data for all ARIC Cohort top-level study and sub-study are available by requesting Authorized Access to the NHLBI ARIC Cohort [phs000280](./study.cgi?study_id=phs000280) study.

The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study, sponsored by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), is a prospective epidemiologic study conducted in four U.S. communities. The four communities are Forsyth County, NC; Jackson, MS; the northwest suburbs of Minneapolis, MN; and Washington County, MD. ARIC is designed to investigate the etiology and natural history of atherosclerosis, the etiology of clinical atherosclerotic diseases, and variation in cardiovascular risk factors, medical care and disease by race, gender, location, and date.

ARIC includes two parts: the Cohort Component and the Community Surveillance Component. The Cohort Component began in 1987, and each ARIC field center randomly selected and recruited a cohort sample of approximately 4,000 individuals aged 45-64 from a defined population in their community. A total of 15,792 participants received an extensive examination, including medical, social, and demographic data. These participants were examined with the baseline visit occurring in 1987-89, the second visit in 1990-92, the third visit in 1993-95, the fourth visit in 1996-98, and the fifth visit in 2011-13 Follow-up occurs yearly by telephone to maintain contact with participants and to assess health status of the cohort.

In the Community Surveillance Component, currently ongoing, these four communities are investigated to determine the community-wide occurrence of hospitalized myocardial infarction and coronary heart disease deaths in men and women aged 35-84 years. Hospitalized stroke is investigated in cohort participants only. Starting in 2006, the study conducts community surveillance of inpatient (ages 55 years and older) and outpatient heart failure (ages 65 years and older) for heart failure events beginning in 2005.

**NHLBI Candidate-gene Association Resource.** The NHLBI initiated the Candidate gene Association Resource (CARe) to create a shared genotype/phenotype resource for analyses of the association of genotypes with phenotypes relevant to the mission of the NHLBI. The resource comprises nine cohort studies funded by the NHLBI including: Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC), Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS), Cleveland Family Study (CFS), Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA), Framingham Heart Study (FHS), Jackson Heart Study (JHS), Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA), and the Sleep Heart Health Study (SHHS). A database of genotype and phenotype data was created that includes records for approximately 41,000 study participants with approximately 50,000 SNPs from more than 2,000 selected candidate genes. In addition, a genome wide association study using a 1,000K SNP Chip was conducted on approximately 8,900 African American participants drawn from five CARe cohorts: ARIC, CARDIA, CFS, JHS, and MESA. Data from individual cohorts is available to approved investigators through dbGaP.

**Some relevant CARe publications**<br> CARe Study: PMID [20400780](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20400780)<br> CVD Chip Design: PMID [18974833](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18974833)