title: High prevalence of Chlamydia pneumoniae antibodies in white-coat hypertensives.
abstract: Previous studies have linked essential sustained hypertension with Chlamydia pneumoniae (C. pneumoniae) and changes in intima-media thickness (IMT) of carotid arteries. The aim of this study was to examine if similar associations exist in subjects with white-coat hypertension. C. pneumoniae IgA and IgG antibody titers were measured in 125 patients with white-coat hypertension and 54 normotensives. All participants underwent a 24 h ambulatory blood pressure (BP) monitoring, clinic BP readings and common-internal carotid artery IMT measurements. Seventy subjects of the white-coat group (56%) and 15 of the control group (27.8%) had IgG titers >/=80 (crosstabs; P<0.001). IgA titers were elevated in 75 subjects of the white-coat group (60%) and 10 (18.5%) of the control group (crosstabs; P<0.001). The IMT of the carotid arteries in the white-coat group was significantly higher than that of the normotensive group (t-test; P<0.001 and P<0.001, respectively). In contrast, carotid IMT did not differ between C. pneumoniae-seropositive and C. pneumoniae-seronegative groups concerning both IgG and IgA antibody titers. Our findings suggest that both C. pneumoniae antibody titers and carotid IMT were increased in subjects with white-coat hypertension. The preceding associations strengthen prior evidence in favor of the opinion that white-coat hypertension is not an innocent phenomenon.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Therapeutics, Alexandra Hospital, University of Athens, National and Kapodistrial University, Vas. Sofias and Lourou Str., Athens 11528, Greece.
authors.forename: Vassiliki C
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Pitiriga
authors.forename: Vasilios T
authors.initials: VT
authors.lastname: Kotsis
authors.forename: Christos M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Papamichail
authors.forename: Maria-Eleni K
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Alexandrou
authors.forename: John P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Lekakis
authors.forename: Nikos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kokolakis
authors.forename: Vassiliky D
authors.initials: VD
authors.lastname: Petrocheilou-Paschou
authors.forename: Nikos A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Zakopoulos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination / Q000379:methods; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D023521:Chlamydophila Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011336:Probability; D012016:Reference Values; D012307:Risk Factors; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial