Current role of myeloperoxidase in routine clinical practice

Recognition of inflammation as a critical contributor to atherothrombosis has led to the pursuit of new approaches for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with coronary heart disease. As the intricate relationships between cellular and noncellular participants in the inflammatory aspects of atherogenesis, plaque destabilization and thrombosis have been defined, specific constituents have emerged as potential noninvasive indicators of these processes. Myeloperoxidase is a protein released during degranulation of neutrophils and monocytes. The available experimental and epidemiologic data provide compelling evidence to sustain strong interest in myeloperoxidase as a candidate for clinical application. Nevertheless, additional investigation will be important to fully evaluate myeloperoxidase as a sensitive predictor for myocardial infarction in patients with chest pain.