Association of positive Chlamydia trachomatis and Chlamydia pneumoniae immunoglobulin-gamma titers with increasing age.
OBJECTIVE
To use Chlamydia trachomatis immunoglobulin-gamma (IgG) titers to investigate the possibility of their association with ovarian cancer, and to evaluate the effectiveness of this titer in algorithmic protocols in infertility.


METHODS
Prospective, age-matched, pilot study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2).


METHODS
University and university-affiliated office practice.


METHODS
The original 30 patients were seen for follow-up of ovarian cancer (19) and at yearly examination for nonmalignant disease (10). An additional group of 21 women seen for pelvic pain and infertility was added to clarify questions that arose during the study.


METHODS
None.


RESULTS
Chlamydia trachomatis IgG titers were positive in 15 (79%) of 19 of women with ovarian cancer, 9 (90%) of 10 age-matched controls, and 14 (67%) of 21 patients with infertility and pain. When analyzed by age, 4 (40%) of 10 patients under 30 years and 34 (85%) of 40 patients 30 years of age or older had positive titers (p = 0.007). Of 21 women with positive Chlamydia pneumoniae titers, 17 (81 %) had positive C. trachomatis titers, and 17 (85%) of 20 with positive C. trachomatis titers had positive C. pneumoniae titers.


CONCLUSIONS
The test kit used in this study may not be adequate in older patients due to cross-reaction with C. pneumoniae titers. Further evaluation of C. trachomatis IgG titers as a marker in the study of ovarian cancer will require titers that are more specific than those we used. Although these titers may be useful as an immunologic screening marker in infertile patients, results should be interpreted with caution. A positive test may not be evidence of C. trachomatis infection and is not an indication for specific therapy. Successful use of some currently available C. trachomatis IgG titers in algorithms for infertility may be related to a patient's age.
Martin
D C
DC
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baptist Memorial Hospital, University of Tennessee, Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
Khare
V K
VK
Miller
B E
BE
Batzer
F R
FR
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D000465:Algorithms; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007142:Immunoglobulin gamma-Chains / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D017699:Pelvic Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011336:Probability; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D015415:Biomarkers; D007142:Immunoglobulin gamma-Chains