Inflammatory biomarkers of the patient with myocardial insufficiency.
OBJECTIVE
Inflammation plays a central role in the genesis of atherosclerosis and its complications. In this regard, plasma levels of several markers of inflammation have been shown to predict risk of future cardiovascular events, including cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, and ischemic stroke. Furthermore, the predictive value of inflammatory markers is independent of traditional risk markers such as lipid levels, or cardiac troponin levels among those with acute coronary syndromes.


RESULTS
Indeed, recent data suggest that among more than 27,000 apparently healthy women, the predictive value of C-reactive protein, the most extensively studied marker of vascular inflammation, was at least as good as that of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. In addition, hypothesis-generating data suggest that the benefits of proven interventions such as statin therapy and glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor blockade may be most effective among those with elevated markers of inflammation.


CONCLUSIONS
Combining our evolving understanding of the vascular biology of atherosclerosis with clinical studies of inflammatory markers and mediators may help refine our diagnostic and therapeutic armamentarium for cardiovascular disease.
D000077284:Abciximab; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D023201:CD40 Ligand / Q000097:blood; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000925:Anticoagulants; D015415:Biomarkers; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments; D015850:Interleukin-6; D023201:CD40 Ligand; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D000077284:Abciximab