Genetic risk markers for post-angioplasty restenosis: what should we expect?

Genetic risk markers for coronary artery disease and associated phenotypes, such as restenosis after angioplasty, have the potential to be valuable to the individual, but even more so in facilitating an understanding of causal factors in the disease, and thereby the development of novel preventative and therapeutic strategies. In this issue of Clinical Science, Völzke and co-workers were unable to show association of a panel of candidate polymorphisms with restenosis, but their study has highlighted the need for even larger studies, as well as the potential benefits of finding causal genetic variation.