Plasma fibrinogen and its correlates in children from a biracial community: the Bogalusa Heart Study.

Fibrinogen levels were measured in 5- to 17-y-old children (n = 3047; 40% black and 49% female), from a well-defined biracial community. No significant race and sex differences in fibrinogen levels were observed, but levels increased (p < 0.001) with age or sexual maturation in black females. Adjusted for age, fibrinogen concentrations were positively correlated with ponderal index (weight/height3) (0.09-0.22, p < 0.01), triceps skinfold thickness (0.10-0.23, p < 0.05), and subscapular skinfold thickness (0.13-0.24, p < 0.01) in all race-sex groups. Weak correlations were found between fibrinogen level and blood pressure and lipoprotein components for some of the race-sex groups, but these become nonsignificant or minimal after adjustment for ponderal index and skinfolds. A positive correlation (0.12-0.16, p < 0.01) was found between fibrinogen and white blood cell count for Caucasians, which still held after adjustment for ponderal index and skinfolds. In a stepwise regression, ponderal index, white blood cell count, and HDL cholesterol showed an independent association with fibrinogen.