title: Chlamydia pneumoniae seropositivity and the risk of nonarteritic ischemic optic neuropathy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether IgG antibodies to Chlamydia pneumoniae are associated with nonarteritic ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION).
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective case-control study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study cohort consisted of 71 consecutive patients with NAION and 71 controls matched for age and gender.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody titers to Chlamydia pneumoniae.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with NAION had significantly higher IgG antibody titers to C. pneumoniae compared with control subjects (IgG titer > or =1:128: 29 patients versus 15 controls, P = 0.017). The odds ratio for patients with an IgG titer > or =1:128 was 2.56 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2-5.5). Adjustment for arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and myocardial infarction resulted in an odds ratio of 3.48 (95% CI, 1.3-9.6).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that elevated titers of IgG antibodies to C. pneumoniae are associated with NAION.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Karl-Franzens University, Auenbruggerplatz 4, 8036 Graz, Austria. martin.weger@kfunigraz.ac.at
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weger
authors.forename: Anton
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haas
authors.forename: Olaf
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Stanger
authors.forename: Yosuf
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: El-Shabrawi
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Temmel
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Maier
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berghold
authors.forename: Eva-Maria
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Haller-Schober
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D023521:Chlamydophila Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000382:microbiology*; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology*; D015818:Eye Infections, Bacterial / Q000097:blood / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D018917:Optic Neuropathy, Ischemic / Q000097:blood / Q000382:microbiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G