Association of fractalkine with functional severity of heart failure and impact on clopidogrel efficacy in patients with ischemic heart disease

Patients with heart failure (HF) display elevated levels of soluble fractalkine, a chemokine involved in inflammation processes, atherosclerosis and platelet activation. Further, fractalkine has been associated with reduced pharmacodynamic (PD) responsiveness to clopidogrel. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of fractalkine with the severity of HF and its impact on platelet activation and clopidogrel response in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) with and without HF. This prospective PD study included 116 stable CAD patients on DAPT with aspirin and clopidogrel. Subjects were classified in two groups: patients with HF and reduced (