Inflammatory biomarkers and cardiovascular risk: association or cause and effect?
With the current understanding that atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disorder, markers of the associated systemic inflammatory response have been extensively studied as predictors of cardiovascular disease. Recently the use of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) has been proposed for risk assessment in individuals at intermediate risk of coronary heart disease. The traditional view of inflammatory biomarkers, including CRP, regards them as risk markers rather than risk factors. Either category of marker would serve a diagnostic role, monitor disease activity, and indicate the efficacy of therapy or changing prognosis. However a risk factor with a causal role would be a potential target for therapy. This review discusses the available evidence that argues for and against a causal role for inflammatory biomarkers, with specific reference to CRP, in the atherosclerotic process.
Rao
Madhumathi
M
Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Tufts-New England Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, USA. mrao@tufts-nemc.org
Jaber
Bertrand L
BL
Balakrishnan
Vaidyanathapuram S
VS
D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000097:blood*; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D018570:Risk Assessment
D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; D002097:C-Reactive Protein