[Inflammatory markers and cytokines in cardiovascular disease].
Inflammatory processes play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and mediate the stages of atheroma development from initial leukocyte recruitment to eventual rupture of the unstable atherosclerotic plaque. Recent investigations demonstrated that several inflammatory markers are considered as new predictable risk factors for atherosclerosis and cardiac events. Among these markers, C-reactive protein (CRP) has been most widely studied. CRP is produced in the liver in response to interleukin-6 (IL-6), it is an acute phase reactant and used as a general inflammatory marker. High-sensitivity-CRP (hs-CRP) which could detect a small amount of CRP was recently developed, and numerous large-scale, prospective studies have found that elevated baseline levels of hs-CRP are independent predictor of cardiovascular events. Inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) have also been evaluated as potential tools for prediction of the cardiovascular events. In this review, we focused on the recent reports and potential use of the inflammatory markers and cytokines as a predictable tool for the cardiovascular events.
Division of Cardiovascular Science, Department of Organ Regeneration, Shinshu University Graduate School of Medicine, Matsumoto 390-8621.
Fumiaki
F
Ogiwara
Masafumi
M
Takahashi
Uichi
U
Ikeda
D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis
D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D002097:C-Reactive Protein