Key result
Anti-inflammatory therapies reduce cardiovascular events independently of LDL cholesterol levels.
Why the study?
Despite intensive control of established coronary risk factors, cardiovascular events continue to occur in high-risk patients, making residual risk attributable to chronic low-grade inflammation a major clinical concern.
Do anti-inflammatory therapies and hsCRP-guided risk assessment reduce cardiovascular events in patients with or at risk for cardiovascular disease?
Do anti-inflammatory therapies and hsCRP-guided risk assessment reduce cardiovascular events in patients with or at risk for cardiovascular disease?
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
This review highlights that targeting chronic inflammation reduces cardiovascular events independently of LDL-C lowering, and emphasizes the clinical utility of hsCRP as a biomarker, noting that ethnicity-specific thresholds should be used.
BACKGROUND: Despite intensive control of established coronary risk factors, such as dyslipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes, cardiovascular events continue to occur in high-risk patients. Residual risk attributable to chronic low-grade inflammation has therefore emerged as a major clinical concern. METHODS AND RESULTS: This narrative review summarizes current evidence regarding the role of low-intensity chronic inflammation in cardiovascular disease risk, based on literature searches of PubMed. Randomized controlled trials targeting inflammation, including Canakinumab Anti-inflammatory Thrombosis Outcomes Study (CANTOS), Colchicine Cardiovascular Outcomes Trial (COLCOT), and Low-Dose Colchicine 2 Trial (LoDoCo2), demonstrated that suppression of chronic inflammation reduces cardiovascular disease events independently of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. In addition, evidence from randomized trials, observational studies, and systematic reviews supports the clinical value of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein for identifying residual inflammatory risk, including in Japanese patients at high cardiovascular risk. CONCLUSIONS: High-sensitivity C-reactive protein is a practical and reliable biomarker for assessing low-grade chronic inflammation. Therapeutic strategies targeting inflammation are as important as lipid-lowering interventions and represent a promising approach for reducing residual cardiovascular risk.
Hara et al. (2026) conducted a review in Cardiovascular disease. Anti-inflammatory therapy was evaluated. Therapeutic strategies targeting chronic inflammation reduce cardiovascular disease events independently of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein serving as a reliable biomarker.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: