Lipoprotein-Associated Phospholipase A2 – Pathophysiological Role and Clinical Significance as a Cardiovascular Biomarker

Within the last decade, a broad range of biomarkers associated with an increased risk for death and cardiovascular/cerebrovascular endpoints have been identified. Epide‐ miological studies clearly indicate that lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (LpPLA2) has the potential to become clinically useful emerging biomarker in the true sense, linking plaque biology with cardiovascular/cerebrovascular event rate. Lipo‐ protein-associated phospholipase A2 is a specific vascular inflammatory marker, a risk factor, a prognostic biomarker, and also a therapeutic target. This chapter will sum‐ marize our current knowledge on Lp-PLA2 with emphasis on its potential pathophy‐ siological mechanisms of action and on clinical relevance as cardiovascular/ cerebrovascular biomarker. This chapter gives comprehensive, systematic review of studies assessing the significance of Lp-PLA2 in cardiovascular/cerebrovascular dis‐ eases with emphasis on clinical benefit of pharmacologic inhibition of Lp-PLA2.