Our observation that CCL3/MIP1α, CCL5/RANTES and CCL18/PARC levels were associated with the risk of fatal events, but not non-fatal events, is in line with the results of a recent study in elderly subjects with either pre-existing vascular disease or an increased risk of vascular disease due to smoking, hypertension or diabetes [45]. Here, CCL18 is linked to hypertensive disorder.