Abstract

Coronary artery disease constitutes the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in the modern world. Inflammation has been implicated to play a key role in the initiation and promotion of atherosclerosis, and the induction of plaque instability, possibly leading to acute coronary syndrome (ACS). This review aims to assess the clinical utility of well established (CRP) and novel inflammatory biomarkers (Homocyesteine, SAA, sCD40L, sLOX-1, IMA, MPO, PAPP-A and MMPs) in the diagnosis and outcome prediction of patients with ACS. The PubMed database was searched for reports using the terms “biomarkers”, “acute coronary syndrome”, “infarction”, “markers” and only original articles written in English were included. The diversity of novel biomarkers for coronary artery disease provides an insight of the varied pathophysiology of this disease. A better understanding of their properties and assimilation in daily clinical use is essential for optimal management and patient care in the future.

Keywords: Biomarkers, Coronary Artery Disease, Inflammation, Acute Coronary Syndrome.