title: Inflammatory biomarkers and cardiovascular risk assessment. Current knowledge and future perspectives.
abstract: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the Western world. However, it appears that currently available risk assessment tools often underestimate risk, especially for patients in the intermediate-risk category. Considering the socioeconomic cost, it is imperative to correctly identify patients in the intermediate-risk category who would benefit from more aggressive treatment. A plethora of experimental and observational studies provide support that lipoprotein associated phospholipase A2 (Lp- PLA2) and secretory phospholipases A2 (sPLA2)) as well as high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) are useful biomarkers of cardiovascular risk. Particularly, Lp-PLA2) has also been addressed as pharmacological target and we are eagerly awaiting the results of ongoing phase III clinical trials. In this review we discuss the current literature regarding the pros and cons of these biomarkers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece. atselep@uoi.gr
authors.forename: Elisavet
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Moutzouri
authors.forename: Vasilis
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tsimihodimos
authors.forename: Alexandros D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Tselepis
mesh_terms: D043203:1-Alkyl-2-acetylglycerophosphocholine Esterase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood*; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D054497:Phospholipases A2, Secretory / Q000097:blood; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D054497:Phospholipases A2, Secretory; D043203:1-Alkyl-2-acetylglycerophosphocholine Esterase