Troublemaking mutations: Clonal hematopoiesis for the prediction of prognosis in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction

Abstract

In recent years, a new risk factor has emerged in cardiovascular disease (CVD): clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP). This condition occurs when acquired somatic mutations in cancer-related genes provide a selective advantage to hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs), leading to the expansion of mutant hematopoietic cells over the years.1 The cellular progeny of HSPCs inherits these mutations and, therefore, CHIP can be detected in peripheral blood by DNA sequencing approaches.