Inflammatory mechanisms in atherosclerosis: from laboratory evidence to clinical application

From the initial stages of leukocyte recruitment to diseased endothelium, to eventual rupture of unstable atheromatous plaque, pro-inflammatory mechanisms mediate key steps in atherogenesis and its complications. Lipid lowering, both with diet and statin therapy, has been shown to have favorable effects on inflammatory processes in atheromatous plaque. Several plasma markers of inflammation have been found to predict future cardiovascular risk, both among patients with acute coronary syndromes and myocardial infarction, and among healthy men and women. C-reactive protein (CRP), a pattern recognition molecule linked to the innate immune system, is a sensitive marker of low-grade vascular inflammation, which may also have direct pro-inflammatory actions. Recent studies have shown that statin therapy may lower CRP levels independent of lipid-lowering effects. Statin therapy may also be highly effective for the prevention of cardiovascular events among individuals with elevated CRP levels. The role of statin therapy for plaque stabilization in acute coronary syndromes, and for prevention of future plaque rupture among healthy individuals with evidence of vascular inflammation, is an area of active research.