The Role Of Inflammatory Processes In The Pathogenesis Of Cardiovascular Diseases

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of systemic inflammation in the development of cardiovascular risk in patients with atherosclerotic disease and to identify associations between inflammatory marker levels and clinical and functional characteristics.

The study included 130 patients with established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. All participants underwent clinical and laboratory examinations, assessment of traditional risk factors, determination of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), and calculation of integrated cardiovascular risk.

It was shown that elevated hs-CRP and IL-6 levels were significantly associated with the severity of atherosclerotic lesions and a higher level of cardiovascular risk. Patients with high hs-CRP tertiles were more likely to have advanced coronary artery disease and episodes of disease destabilization. In a multivariate model, hs-CRP and IL-6 retained independent prognostic significance after accounting for age, gender, smoking status, and hypertension.

These results support the concept of inflammation as a key link in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and associated clinical events and highlight the usefulness of incorporating inflammatory markers into broader cardiovascular risk stratification.