Objective: There is growing evidence that polymorphism at position -572 in interleukin-6 (IL-6) gene is associated with various manifestations of atherosclerosis. We investigated the genotype effects of IL-6-572 polymorphism on circulating levels of inflammatory markers and oxidized LDL (ox-LDL) in Korean men with coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods & Results: CAD patients were subdivided into two groups; those treated without lipid lowering drug (LLD) (n=173) and those treated with LLD (n=353). There were no significant differences between two groups in age, BMI, blood pressure, serum glucose, alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, and the proportions of antihypertensive and antiplatelet therapies. In CAD patients not taking LLD, the G/G genotype of the -572C>G polymorphism was associated with higher concentrations of IL-6 (C/C: 4.1짹0.8 pg/mL, C/G: 3.7짹0.7, G/G: 12.4짹6.6; P=0.031), CRP (C/C: 1.9짹0.4 mg/dL, C/G: 2.7짹0.8, G/G: 10.1짹3.9; P=0.002), fibrinogen (C/C: 334짹6 mg/dL, C/G: 345짹13, G/G: 429짹38; P=0.003) and ox-LDL (C/C: 58짹2 mg/dL, C/G: 55짹3, G/G: 71짹5; P=0.041) than those with C/C or C/G. However, in the LLD group, there was no difference in circulating levels of IL-6, CRP, fibrinogen and ox-LDL across the genotype after adjustment of age. Furthermore, patients carrying the IL-6 -572G/G genotype in LLD group showed lower concentrations of IL-6, CRP and fibrinogen than those in non-LLD group. Conclusion: This study suggests that circulating levels of IL-6 and its related proteins such as CRP and fibrinogen are associated with genotype at a promoter polymorphism (-572C>G) of the IL-6 gene in CAD patients not taking LLD. LLD, especially statin in this study, might reduce the exaggeration of G/G genotype-raising effect on inflammatory markers and its consequence to lipoprotein oxidation.