Preeclampsia and Chlamydia pneumoniae: is there a link?
Several parallels exist between preeclampsia and atherosclerosis. Both are multifactorial diseases that share risk factors such as obesity, insulin resistance, lipid abnormalities, and elevated serum homocysteine. There are also similarities in the biochemical changes seen in both diseases, including elevated serum triglycerides, decreased HDL cholesterol and enhanced formation of small, dense LDL particles as well as vascular atherosclerotic lesions. Chronic infection with Chlamydia pneumoniae has been linked to coronary artery disease. This study evaluated a possible link between the incidence of preeclampsia and infection with C. pneumoniae by examining the rate of seropositivity in 81 women with preeclampsia, and 206 women with normal pregnancies. Although our data confirmed well-known risk factors for preeclampsia such as obesity, diabetes, and hypertension, we found no difference in the rate of seropositivity between preeclampsia and normal pregnancy. On the contrary, the presence of chlamydial antibodies was lower in preeclampsia. Multiparous women with preeclampsia showed a significantly lower rate of seropositivity than multiparous normal women and nulliparous preeclamptics. In addition, women with a history of preeclampsia who developed preeclampsia in the current pregnancy also had a significantly lower rate of seropositivity.
Raynor
B Denise
BD
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine at Grady Memorial Hospital, Atlanta, Georgia, 30303, USA. braynor@emory.edu
Bonney
Elizabeth A
EA
Jang
Kyung T
KT
Coto
Wendy
W
Garcia
Meera S
MS
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D023521:Chlamydophila Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae; D005260:Female; D005845:Georgia; D006801:Humans; D008429:Maternal Welfare; D010298:Parity; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013223:Statistics as Topic