Westernized countries face a growing burden of cardiovascular diseases including acute complications of coronary atherosclerosis. Such diseases are often associated with diabetes mellitus, obesity, and chronic renal disease. Emerging clinical and experimental studies suggest that inflammation is central to the development of these cardiometabolic disorders. A proinflammatory subset of monocytes/macrophages and T lymphocytes may importantly contribute to pathological processes in cardiometabolic organs. Cross-talks between cardiometabolic organs may enhance systemic and local inflammatory milieu. In addition, accumulating evidence supports a key role for inflammation in the pathogenesis of vascular mineral deposition and calcific aortic valve stenosis. Thus, further understanding of the inflammatory nature of cardiovascular diseases and their association with metabolic disorders will lead to new therapeutic insights and aid in the prevention and management of the cardiometabolic syndrome and its complications.

We invite investigators to contribute original research articles as well as review articles that will stimulate the continuing efforts to understand the role of inflammation in cardiovascular diseases. We are particularly interested in articles describing the new paradigm for cardiometabolic inflammation; novel imaging modalities for characterization of vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques, myocardial infarction, arterial and valvular calcification; current concepts and future perspectives in the treatment of atherosclerosis and metabolic disorders. Potential topics include, but not limited to:

• Role of inflammation in atherosclerosis, obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome
• Cardiovascular inflammation in chronic renal disease
• New animal models to understand cardiovascular inflammation and calcification
• Identifying novel biomarkers of cardiovascular disease
• Identifying common mechanisms of cardiometabolic disorders
• Role of inflammation in ectopic mineralization
• Cardiovascular inflammation and innate immunity
• Inflammation in cardiovascular tissue engineering
• Novel anti-inflammatory treatments of cardiovascular disease
• MicroRNA and epigenetics in cardiovascular inflammation
• Novel signaling pathways in cardiovascular inflammation and ectopic calcification

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