Lately, clinical trials have demonstrated the preventive effect of anti-inflammatory treatment by inhibiting IL1β and IL6 in patients with established CVD.3 28 29 In the IL1β–IL6–CRP pathway, only IL6 signalling has been shown to be causally associated with CVD.16 17 Moreover, recombinant sgp130 has atherosclerosis dampening properties demonstrated in experimental studies.30 Hence, targeting the pro-inflammatory IL6 trans-signalling pathway is of great interest. This evidence concerns the gene IL6ST and atherosclerosis.