title: Lack of association between serum immunoreactivity and Chlamydia pneumoniae detection in the human aortic wall.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Only a few studies have focused the attention on the relation between elevated anti-Chlamydia pneumoniae (CP) antibodies and the detection of CP in the arterial wall. The aim of our study is thus to investigate the relationship between immune response to CP and detection of CP in the aortic walls of patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A specimen of aortic wall was obtained from 102 consecutive patients who underwent abdominal aneurysm repair. The possible presence of CP was studied by polymerase chain reaction and confirmed by nonradioactive DNA hybridization. Antibody response to CP was studied (IgG, IgA titers). We found 33 patients (32.4%) with CP DNA+. No correlation between CP DNA detection and antibody titers was found (IgG P=0.52, IgA P=0.66). High correlation between IgG and IgA titer was observed (P<0.01). Endovascular presence of CP and antibody titers was not related to the age of the patient.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CP antibody titers are not associated with the presence of CP in the aortic wall of patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm.
authors.affiliation: Centro Cardiologico, Monzino Foundation, IRCCS, Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Milan, Italy. massimo.porqueddu@cardiologicomonzino.it
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Porqueddu
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Spirito
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Parolari
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zanobini
authors.forename: Giulio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pompilio
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Polvani
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Alamanni
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stangalini
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tremoli
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Biglioli
mesh_terms: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D001011:Aorta / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D023521:Chlamydophila Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012698:Serologic Tests
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G