Yamamoto H, et al. - In this prospective observational study, researchers used optical coherence tomography (OCT) to examine the influence of CD14⁺⁺CD16⁺ monocytes on coronary plaque vulnerability, and their association with daily glucose fluctuation, in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) with well-regulated lipid levels. They found that both in diabetes mellitus (DM) and non-DM patients, CD14⁺⁺CD16⁺ monocytes were associated with coronary plaque vulnerability in CAD patients with well-regulated lipid levels. Plaque vulnerability may be enhanced by cross-talk between glucose fluctuation and CD14⁺⁺CD16⁺ monocytes, particularly in non-DM patients. CD14⁺⁺CD16⁺ monocytes could be a possible therapeutic target for coronary plaque stabilization.