However, age, left-ventricular-mass index, C-reactive-protein levels, serum-creatinine concentrations, and the incidence of myocardial infarction, left ventricular hypertrophy, or reduced ejection fraction (EF) were significantly lower in patients from the lower tercile (LT) than in patients from the middle and/or upper terciles. The gene discussed is CRP; the disease is left ventricular hypertrophy.