Inflammation and atherothrombosis - From population biology and bench research to clinical practice

The concept that inflammation governs atherosclerosis and its complications has provided a new unifying hypothesis of the links between risk factors and the cellular and molecular alterations that underlie this disease. This new mechanistic insight has already begun to translate into changes in clinical practice. The preponderance of available data supports the predictive power of biomarkers of inflammation such as high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) in broad categories of individuals, both those who are apparently well and those with already-manifest atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. The demonstrated clinical utility of hsCRP and potentially of other inflammatory biomarkers has engendered intense interest in evaluating their cost-effectiveness as predictive tools beyond conventional risk markers and as goals for therapy. The rapid translation of inflammation biology in cardiovascular disease from the laboratory to the clinic serves as a gratifying example of bench-to-bedside research. Ultimately, the insight that inflammation plays a fundamental role in atherosclerosis may lead to novel therapies that target aspects of the inflammatory process smoldering within the atheroma.