title: Legacy of MESA.
abstract: The MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis) was initiated to address unresolved questions about subclinical cardiovascular disease and its progression to clinically overt cardiovascular disease in a diverse population-based sample, incorporating emerging imaging technologies for better evaluation of subclinical disease and creating a population laboratory for future research. MESA's recruited (from 2000 to 2002) cohort comprised >6,000 adults from 4 racial/ethnic groups, ages 45 to 84 years, who were free of cardiovascular disease at baseline. Extensive cohort data have been collected over 5 exams (through 2011) with additional exam components added through extramurally funded ancillary study grants, and through regular phone follow-up contacts. Over 1,000 MESA papers have been published to date. Exam 6 will incorporate components that use novel wearable, imaging, and other technologies to address new research questions. MESA investigators have and continue to seek opportunities for collaboration with other researchers on a wide variety of topics to further expand the science of MESA.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Jean L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Olson
authors.affiliation: Clinical Effectiveness Research Department, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Diane E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Bild
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, Collaborative Health Studies Coordinating Center, Seattle, WA, USA.
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Kronmal
authors.affiliation: Division of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA. Electronic address: gburke@wakehealth.edu.
authors.forename: Gregory L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Burke
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000208:ethnology*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology