Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Cohort

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, these four communities were 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 conducted 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. Community Surveillance for non-cohorts ended in event year 2014.

ARIC is currently funded through October 31, 2021.

The ARIC Cohort is utilized in the following dbGaP sub-studies. To view genotypes, other molecular data, and derived variables collected in these sub-studies, please click on the following sub-studies below or in the "Sub-studies" section of this top-level study page phs000280 ARIC Cohort.

• phs000557 ARIC_CARe
• phs000090 GENEVA_ARIC
• phs000223 PAGE_CALiCo_ARIC
• phs000398 GO-ESP: HeartGo_ARIC
• phs000668 CHARGE_ARIC
• phs000860 MICORTEX
• phs001536 CCDG_ARIC

• Study Weblinks:
  • ARIC Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study
• Study Design:
  • Prospective Longitudinal Cohort
• Study Type:
  • Longitudinal
  • Cohort
• Total number of consented subjects: 15678
• Subject Sample Telemetry Report (SSTR)

Aged 45-64 at baseline

The cohort was examined at 5 clinic visits:

Visit 1: 1987-89

Visit 2: 1990-92

Visit 3: 1993-95

Visit 4: 1996-98

Visit 5: 2011-13

• Primary Phenotype: Cardiovascular Diseases
• Atherosclerosis
• Cardiovascular System
• Cerebrovascular Accident
• Cholesterol
• Diabetes Mellitus
• Heart Diseases
• Heart Failure, Congestive
• Hypertension
• Myocardial Infarction
• Obesity
• Risk Factors
• Smoking

• BioProject
• MeSH

• Principal Investigators (Field Center)
  • Aaron R. Folsom, MD. Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
  • Gerardo Heiss, MD. Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
  • Thomas H. Mosley Jr., PhD. Department of Medicine (Geriatrics), University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA.
  • Josef Coresh, MD, PhD. Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Medicine, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
• Principal Investigator (Atherosclerosis Clinical Research Laboratory)
  • Christie M. Ballantyne, MD. Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
• Principal Investigator (Central DNA Laboratory)
  • Eric Boerwinkle, PhD. Human Genetics Center, University of Texas School of Public Health, Houston, TX, USA.
• Principal Investigator (Coordinating Center)
  • David Couper, PhD. Collaborative Studies Coordinating Center, Department of Biostatistics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC.
• Principal Investigator (Echo Reading Center)
  • Scott Solomon, MD. Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA.
• Principal Investigator(CVD Outcomes Research Center)
  • Sally Stearns, PhD. Department of Health Policy and Management University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC.
• Project Officer
  • Jacqueline Wright, DrPH. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; National Institutes of Health; Bethesda, MD, USA.
• ARIC Funding Source - University of North Carolina Coordinating Center
  • HHSN268201100005C. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; National Institutes of Health; Bethesda, MD, USA.
• ARIC Funding Source - Baylor Atherosclerosis Clinical Research Laboratory
  • HHSN268201100006C. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; National Institutes of Health; Bethesda, MD, USA.
• ARIC Funding Source - University of North Carolina Field Center
  • HHSN268201100007C. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; National Institutes of Health; Bethesda, MD, USA.
• ARIC Funding Source - University of Minnesota Field Center
  • HHSN268201100008C. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; National Institutes of Health; Bethesda, MD, USA.
• ARIC Funding Source - Johns Hopkins University Field Center
  • HHSN268201100009C. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; National Institutes of Health; Bethesda, MD, USA.
• ARIC Funding Source - University of Mississippi Medical Center Field Center
  • HHSN268201100010C. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; National Institutes of Health; Bethesda, MD, USA.
• ARIC Funding Source - Brigham and Women's Hospital Reading Center
  • HHSN268201100011C. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; National Institutes of Health; Bethesda, MD, USA.
• ARIC Funding Source - University of North Carolina CVD Outcomes Research Center
  • HHSN268201100012C. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; National Institutes of Health; Bethesda, MD, USA.