Pilot data from the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) showed that relative risks of fibrinogen, D-dimer and CRP levels for cardiovascular events were highest for events occurring more proximate to baseline blood factor measurements. Therefore, the study also sought to determine whether blood factor levels measured at the most recent examination prior to cardiovascular events or PAD progression were higher than the levels that did not immediately precede cardiovascular events or PAD progression. The hypothesis was tested that blood factor levels at the most recent examination prior to cardiovascular events or PAD progression would be higher than blood factor levels that did not immediately precede cardiovascular events.