The study has some limitations: 1) we have not collected informations about subclinical atherosclerosis (intima-media thickness, carotid plaque); 2) we have evaluated IL-8 production as marker of inflammatory response, but inflammation can also be evaluated by several different parameters, such as IL-6, IL-15, TNFα, not assessed in this study. The gene discussed is CXCL8; the disease is atherosclerosis.