Journal of Clinical Medicine Review TRAIL and Cardiovascular Disease—A Risk Factor or Risk Marker: A Systematic Review Katarzyna Kakareko 1,* , Alicja Rydzewska-Rosołowska 1 , Edyta Zbroch 2 and Tomasz Hryszko 1 1 2nd Department of Nephrology and Hypertension with Dialysis Unit, Medical University of Białystok, 15-276 Białystok, Poland;
[email protected] (A.R.-R.);
[email protected] (T.H.) 2 Department of Internal Medicine and Hypertension, Medical University of Białystok, 15-276 Białystok, Poland;
[email protected] * Correspondence:
[email protected] Abstract: Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a pro-apoptotic protein showing broad biological functions. Data from animal studies indicate that TRAIL may possibly contribute to the pathophysiology of cardiomyopathy, atherosclerosis, ischemic stroke and abdomi- nal aortic aneurysm. It has been also suggested that TRAIL might be useful in cardiovascular risk stratification. This systematic review aimed to evaluate whether TRAIL is a risk factor or risk marker in cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) focusing on major adverse cardiovascular events. Two databases (PubMed and Cochrane Library) were searched until December 2020 without a year limit in accor- dance to the PRISMA guidelines. A total of 63 eligible original studies were identified and included in our systematic review. Studies suggest an important role of TRAIL in disorders such as heart failure, myocardial infarction, atrial fibrillation, ischemic stroke, peripheral artery disease, and pul- monary and gestational hypertension. Most evidence associates reduced TRAIL levels and increased TRAIL-R2 concentration with all-cause mortality in patients with CVDs. It is, however, unclear Citation: Kakareko, K.; whether low TRAIL levels should be considered as a risk factor rather than a risk marker of CVDs.