The Impact of Interleukin-6 on the Severity of Coronary Artery Disease and the Prognosis of Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome

Acute coronary syndromes (ACS) represent a significant public health problem which is affecting an increasingly younger population. The management of these conditions becomes increasingly difficult, considering that their long-term evolution is accompanied by multiple complications. In this context, numerous studies have been conducted to identify new prognostic markers whose use can aid in patient stratification and understanding of their progression. Given its role in the atherosclerotic process, interleukin (IL)-6, a pro-inflammatory cytokine with pleiotropic effects in the body, has been the subject of numerous studies and it has been correlated with the severity of coronary artery disease and the prognosis of patients with ACS. It appears to be involved in the extent of myocardial damage, the development of ischemia-reperfusion injury, the onset of heart failure, recurrent myocardial infarction and increased cardiovascular mortality. However, studies have not been able to establish a cutoff value at which therapeutic intervention should be intensified to prevent adverse events and further investigation is needed; for this reason, its use in current practice is limited. This biomarker offers multiple applications, ranging from predicting the development of ACS, assessing the complexity of coronary artery disease, and stratifying post-infarction patients. Furthermore, it represents an attractive therapeutic target for reducing cardiovascular events; however, additional studies are needed to determine the degree of inhibition, the timing of initiation and the duration of therapy to avoid interfering with healing.