Soluble CD40L (CD154) as a prognostic marker of atherosclerotic diseases
AssigneeThe Brigham and Women's Hospital, Inc.
InventorsUwe Schonbeck, Paul Ridker, Peter Libby
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This invention involves the new use of a diagnostic test to determine the risk of atherosclerotic diseases such as myocardial infarction and stroke, particularly among individuals with no signs or symptoms of current disease and among nonsmokers. Further, this invention involves the new use of a diagnostic test to assist physicians in determining which individuals at risk will preferentially benefit from certain treatments designed either to prevent first or recurrent myocardial infarctions and strokes, or to treat acute and chronic cardiovascular disorders. Methods for treatment also are described.
Claims76
A method for characterizing an individual's risk profile of developing a future cardiovascular disorder comprising:
- obtaining a level of sCD40L in the individual,
- comparing the level of sCD40L to a predetermined value, and
- characterizing the individual's risk profile of developing said future cardiovascular disorder, based upon the level of sCD40L in comparison to the predetermined level.
A method for characterizing an individual's risk profile of developing a future cardiovascular disorder associated with atherosclerotic disease, comprising:
- obtaining a level of sCD40L in the individual,
- comparing the sCD40L level to a first predetermined value to establish a first risk value,
- obtaining a level of a cholesterol or C-Reactive Protein (CRP) in the individual,
- comparing the level of the cholesterol or C-Reactive Protein (CRP) to a second predetermined value to establish a second risk value, and
- characterizing the individual's risk profile of developing the cardiovascular disorder based upon the combination of the first risk value and the second risk value, wherein the combination of the first risk value and second risk value establishes a third risk value different from said first and second risk values.
A method for evaluating the likelihood that an individual will benefit from treatment with an agent for reducing the risk of a cardiovascular disorder associated with atherosclerotic disease, the agent selected from the group consisting of anti-inflammatory agents, anti-thrombotic agents, anti-platelet agents, fibrinolytic agents, lipid reducing agents, direct thrombin inhibitors, and glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor inhibitors comprising:
- obtaining a level of sCD40L in the individual, and
- comparing the level of sCD40L to a predetermined value, wherein the level of sCD40L in comparison to the predetermined value is indicative of whether the individual will benefit from treatment with said agents, and
- characterizing whether the individual is likely to benefit from said treatment based upon said comparison.
A method for treating a subject to reduce the risk of a cardiovascular disorder, comprising:
- selecting and administering to a subject who is known to have an above-normal level of sCD40L an agent for reducing the risk of the cardiovascular disorder in an amount effective to lower the risk of the subject developing a future cardiovascular disorder, wherein the agent is an anti-inflammatory agent, an antithrombotic agent, an anti-platelet agent, a fibrinolytic agent, a lipid reducing agent, a direct thrombin inhibitor, a glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor inhibitor, an agent that binds to cellular adhesion molecules and inhibits the ability of white blood cells to attach to such molecules, a calcium channel blocker, a beta-adrenergic receptor blocker, a cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor, or an angiotensin system inhibitor.
A method for reducing sCD40L levels in a subject to lower the risk of an adverse cardiovascular disorder, comprising:
- selecting and administering to a subject having elevated levels of sCD40L an agent that reduces sCD40L levels in an amount effective to reduce the sCD40L levels in the subject.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.