[Chlamydia pneumoniae and cerebrovascular disease].
BACKGROUND
Chlamydia pneumoniae has relationship with artherosclerosis of carotid artery by seroepidemiological studies and by demonstration of the bacteria in atheromata. We made a case-control study to know the seroprevalence of chronic infection of C. pneumoniae and the presence of the bacteria in arterial biopsies.


METHODS
The cases group was constituted by 26 patients undergoing carotid surgery. In the control group there were 50 patients without atherosclerosis and who underwent removal of their varicose veins. There were matched for sex, age and smoking. We obtained serum samples to determinate IgG antibodies against MOMP by MIF and ELISA. In the cases group, we got the arterial biopsies from carotid artery, and from pudendal arteries in control group. We determined chlamydial DNA on the biopsies by heminested PCR (primers: HL-1, HM-1, HR-1). We measured fibrinogen in both groups.


RESULTS
By MIF technique, the seroprevalence was (IgG > 1:32) 69.23% cases versus 24% controls (OR: 7.12, CI: 2.47-20.48). The ELISA showed 76.92% of seropositivity in cases versus 16% in controls (OR: 17.5, CI: 95%: 5.35-57.23). The DNA of C. pneumoniae was found in 18 cases and 6 controls, (p < 0.0001, chi 2). We did not find any relationship between fibrinogen levels and groups.


CONCLUSIONS
We think that there is a relationship between chronic infection with C. pneumoniae and carotid atherosclerosis.
Linares-Palomino
J
J
Servicio de Angiología y Cirugía Vascular, Hospital Clínico Universitario San Cecilio de Granada, Av. Dr. Oloriz, 16. E-18012 Granada. jlinaresp@seacv.org
Gutiérrez
J
J
López-Espada
C
C
Ros
E
E
Moreno
J
J
Pérez
T
T
Rodríguez
M
M
Maroto
M C
MC
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000601:surgery; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D001706:Biopsy; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000601:surgery; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015897:Comorbidity; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000453:epidemiology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; C101031:major outer membrane protein, Chlamydia pneumoniae; D005340:Fibrinogen