CRP and Hypertension: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III data from a cohort of 15,836 participants selected to represent the general US population also showed that a low serum bicarbonate (<22 mmol/L) was associated with mortality independently of age, gender, race, eGFR, albuminuria, cardiovascular disease, lung disease, diabetes, hypertension, smoking status, C-reactive protein and estimated protein intake normalized to body weight [8].