Vecoli C, et al. - Researchers determined the prognostic role of peripheral blood common mitochondrial deletion (mtDNA⁴⁹⁷⁷) and mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNA-CN) on long-term major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) and all-cause mortality in a cohort of patients (450 males, 65 ± 8 years) with known or suspected stable coronary artery disease (CAD) from the Italian GENOCOR (Genetic Mapping for Assessment of Cardiovascular Risk) cohort. They observed an increased risk of MACEs and all-cause mortality in relation to mitochondria DNA damage in patients with stable CAD. This finding corroborated the critical role of mitochondrial dysfunction in atherosclerosis.