CD40LG and atherosclerosis: Interestingly, patients in the active phase of the disease, assessed based on the IgM and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, had an even higher risk of ASCVD (OR = 2.88, 95% CI: 1.87–4.43; OR = 2.56, 95% CI: 1.46–4.49, respectively), suggesting that active infection may directly contribute to ASCVD events.