Newer risk markers and surrogate endpoints in atherosclerosis management

Risk markers that allow improved and individualized assessment of atheroscl erotic disease risk and response to treatment are needed. Current candidate markers include cell adhesion molecules, such as intercellular adhesion mo lecule-1 and E-selectin, and inflammatory markers, such as C-reactive prote in; advances in genomics and proteomics will suggest additional candidate m arkers. Noninvasive imaging procedures such as electron-beam computed tomog raphy and magnetic resonance imaging also show considerable promise for mon itoring disease status and response to treatment, and ultimately could prov ide surrogate endpoints for clinical trials of therapeutic interventions.