MESA Committees

The Steering Committee is comprised of the principal investigators from the Coordinating Center, six Field Centers, Central Laboratory, and the Project Officer.

Subcommittees include Participant Retention, Design, Laboratory, MRI, CT, Morbidity and Mortality, Operations, Publications, Ancillary Studies, and Quality Control. Subcommittees make recommendations to the Steering Committee, which finalizes decisions.

The charges to the specific committees are as follows:

Steering Committee

• Develop and approve all aspects of the study protocol.
• Identify modifications of the study protocol or operational policy as necessary, and recommend changes to NHLBI.
• Resolve operational problems.
• Review reports of the Coordinating Center regarding study progress.
• Advise and assist the Field Centers, Coordinating Center, Reading Centers, Central Laboratory and Project Office in the performance of the study.
• Review ancillary studies for compatibility with MESA goals, and recommend priorities to the MESA Monitoring Board and NHLBI.

Participant Retention Committee

• Oversee the timely provision of individual clinical examination results to participants.
• Coordinate and disseminate participant information material.
• Facilitate and monitor language translation of all necessary materials into Spanish and Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese).
• Consult with the Operations Committee on maximizing retention.

Design Committee

• Evaluate and prioritize proposed examination components and make recommendations to the Steering Committee regarding inclusion.
• Consider timing of the components over the course of the study, repetition of the component, participant burden, and cost, along with scientific value.

Operations Committee

• Evaluate recommended examination components in terms of participant burden; operationalize approved examination components.
• Make recommendations to the Steering Committee regarding methods to minimize participant burden and optimize comfort, interest, and satisfaction.
• Assure that participant concerns are addressed and ensure maximum participation.
• Develop methods to train examination staff; plan and execute training for examination procedures; develop procedures for exam technicians to obtain and maintain certification to perform study procedures; plan and monitor the pilot study.
• Develop the Manual of Operations for clinic operations.
• Develop a regular newsletter to keep participants informed about the study and foster good will.
• Develop system of "alert" values and procedures for providing feedback to and referrals for participants and their health care providers.
• In conjunction with Field Centers, evaluate and recommend modifications to recruitment strategies to assure consistency of procedures among Field Centers, as feasible.
• Evaluate status of recruitment, considering balance of relevant ethnic, gender, and age subgroups.
• Develop a standard description of recruitment procedures for use in study manuscripts.

Computed Tomography Committee

• Develop protocol to measure coronary calcium using electron-beam computed tomography or other computed tomography method.
• Develop protocol to read coronary calcium scans.
• In conjunction with the Quality Committee, develop and recommend methods to assess comparability among centers and to investigate reasons for lack of comparability or unacceptable variability among Field Centers or within a Field Center.
• Recommend further investigation and corrective action, as appropriate.

Ultrasound Committee

• Develop protocol to measure carotid intimal-media thickness and plaque using B-mode ultrasound.
• Develop protocol to measure flows-mediated vasodilation of the brachial artery, using ultrasound.
• Develop protocol to read ultrasound scans.
• In conjunction with the Quality Committee, develop and recommend methods to measure Reading Center quality and to assess comparability among centers and to investigate reasons for lack of comparability or unacceptable variability among Field Centers or within a Field Center.
• Recommend further investigation and corrective action, as appropriate.

MRI Committee

• Identify and recommend to the Steering Committee measures of atherosclerotic plaque in the carotid or aorta, indices of cardiac anatomy and function and other measures appropriate to the technology, within the time constraints of the study, and according to the study goals.
• Develop protocols to make measurements and to read MRI scans.
• In conjunction with the Quality Committee, develop and recommend methods to assess comparability among centers and to investigate reasons for lack of comparability or unacceptable variability among Field Centers or within a Field Center.
• Recommend further investigation and corrective action, as appropriate.

Laboratory Committee

• Recommend blood-based laboratory measurements, based on the study goals. Develop a protocol for Field Center phlebotomists.
• In conjunction with the Quality Committee, recommend a plan for quality assurance, and develop and recommend methods to assess comparability among centers and to investigate reasons for lack of comparability or unacceptable variability among Field Centers or within a Field Center.
• Recommend further investigation and corrective action, as appropriate.

Morbidity and Mortality Committee

• Develop protocol for identifying, evaluating, and quantifying, as feasible and appropriate, cardiovascular events, including (1) clinical event manifestations of coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and congestive heart failure and (2) clinical diagnostic testing and interventions.
• Participate in classification of type and severity of cardiovascular events.

Ancillary Studies Committee

• For studies intended to be funded from other than contract funds, review, recommend modifications to the science and logistical conduct, and recommend approval or disapproval to the Steering Committee.

Publications and Presentations Committee

• Develop, disseminate, and enforce policies for proposing and conducting data analyses; establishing authorship and reinforcing responsibilities of authorship; monitoring progress of data analyses; and use of data in abstracts, presentations, and publications.
• Develop and assist in the maintenance of the publications data base of the Coordinating Center.
• Recommend to the Steering Committee directions for publications and presentations.
• Review, recommend modifications for, and consider for approval all abstracts, presentations, manuscripts, and other data analyses emanating from the study.

Monitoring Board

The MESA Monitoring Board has been appointed by the Director, NHLBI, to advise on the design and conduct of the study and on the analysis and interpretation of results. The Monitoring Board will meet approximately annually.