title: Markers of chronic infection and inflammation. Are they important in cases with chronic coronary heart disease.
abstract: The human cytomegalovirus plays a causal role in atherosclerosis etiology, but it is discussed as controversial. We conducted a case control study to investigate whether previous infection with cytomegalovirus is associated with coronary heart disease and markers of systemic inflammation, because systemic inflammation may play a role in atherosclerosis too. We also studied the correlation between anti-cytomegalovirus antibody titer and coronary artery disease. The study involved 150 cases (45 females, mean age +/- SD is 58.73 +/- 7.68 years) with a documented coronary heart disease and 160 healthy volunteers (50 females, mean age +/- SD is 57.82 +/- 7.68, p > 0.05). Cytomegalovirus serology was performed to determine the presence of specific IgG antibodies and titers of the anti-cytomegalovirus IgG antibodies. In addition, C-Reactive protein levels were determined for each case. The prevalence of specific antibodies to cytomegalovirus was 57.30% for the patients and 56% for the controls (p = 0.39). But higher levels of anti-cytomegalovirus IgG antibody titer (> 1/800) were seen in the patient group (28.6% versus 10%, p = 0.0000). Mean value of C-reactive protein was higher in the patient group (2.99 +/- 0.92 mg/l versus 1.79 +/- 0.51 mg/l, p = 0.0000), and there was a linar correlation with the high antibody titers and the level of C-reactive protein (r = 0.35, p = 0.0000) These findings support that not the seropositivity of the population but rather the titer of anti-cytomegalovirus antibody and the levels of C-reactive protein could predict patients with a high risk of coronary heart disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Pamukkale, Denizli, Turkey.
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Kaftan
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kaftan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kiliç
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000097:blood; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000821:virology*; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis
chemical_list: D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D015415:Biomarkers; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D002097:C-Reactive Protein