Long-term interleukin-6 levels and subsequent risk of coronary heart disease

In research published in the open access journal PLoS Medicine this week, John Danesh of the University of Cambridge and colleagues find that interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels (a type of protein produced by inflammation, attracting cells of the immune system to the site of injury) are associated with coronary heart disease.

The disease is the leading cause of death amongst adults in the developed world. The findings suggest that IL-6 could be a target for the development of drugs to combat vascular disease.

The study is discussed in a perspective by Bruce Neal – uninvolved with the research – of the George Institute for International Health in Sydney, Australia.

Citation: Danesh J, Kaptoge S, Mann AG, Sarwar N, Wood A, et al. (2008) Long-term interleukin-6 levels and subsequent risk of coronary heart disease: Two new prospective studies and a systematic review. PLoS Med 5(4): e78.