The Yin and Yang of arterial inflammation.

he recent wave of enthusiasm for including inflammation s one of the primary pathophysiologic processes in cardioascular disease has substantial merit (1). Arterial inflamation is central to plaque progression and plaque rupture. mong clinical markers of inflammation, C-reactive protein CRP), a complex pentameric protein largely of hepatic rigin, is the current gold standard (2,3). In a variety of linical situations, the elevation of CRP predicts adverse utcomes, including mortality (4,5). Beyond its “biomarker” ole, CRP probably actively participates in atherothrombois. For example, CRP opsonization of low-density lipoprotein LDL) cholesterol mediates LDL uptake by macrophages.