title: Chlamydia pneumoniae infection as a risk factor for subarachnoid hemorrhage.
abstract: Many risk factors for subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), such as hypertension and recent infection, have already been established. Chlamydia pneumoniae is a common respiratory pathogen that has been implicated as a potential risk factor for hypertension and atherosclerotic diseases. The purpose of the case-control study presented here was to examine the causative relationship between C. pneumoniae infection and SAH. Serum C. pneumoniae IgG and IgA antibodies were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 52 patients with SAH and in 104 healthy age-matched control subjects. Multivariate analysis revealed a significant association between SAH and both a strong seropositivity for IgG and/or IgA antibodies against C. pneumoniae (odds ratio, OR, 3.62; 95% confidence intervals, CI, 1.06-12.39; p = 0.040), which indicates the presence of acute C. pneumoniae infection, and hypertension (OR, 2.91; 95% CI, 1.42-5.96; p = 0.0035). These results provide evidence that infection with C. pneumoniae may be a risk factor for SAH from a ruptured intracranial aneurysm.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Neuroscience, Yamaguchi University School of Medicine, Ube, Japan. yo-hiroshi@k9.dion.ne.jp
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoneda
authors.forename: Kazunobu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ouchi
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kunitsugu
authors.forename: Hirosuke
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fujisawa
authors.forename: Tatsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Akimura
authors.forename: Shoichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Michiyasu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suzuki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D013345:Subarachnoid Hemorrhage / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G