Seropositivity for anti-Borrelia IgG antibody is independently associated with carotid atherosclerosis.
BACKGROUND
Various infectious agents are associated with atherosclerosis. This analysis was performed to investigate relation between seropositivity for anti-Borrelia IgG and carotid atherosclerosis.


METHODS
The cross-sectional Study of Health in Pomerania was conducted in a general community living in a region with endemic Lyme disease. A random sample of 2483 individuals aged 45-79 years was available for the present analysis. Carotid atherosclerosis was sonographically assessed as intima-media thickness of the common carotid artery and as prevalent atherosclerotic plaques in the extracranial carotid arteries. IgG antibodies to Borrelia were determined by ELISA.


RESULTS
IgG antibodies to Borrelia were found positive (> 10 IU/mL) in 108 subjects (4.3%). Persons with and without positive anti-Borrelia IgG antibodies differed with respect to carotid intima-media thickness values (0.863 +/- 0.017 mm versus 0.792 +/- 0.004 mm; p < 0.001) and prevalent carotid plaques (odds ratio 2.65, 95% confidence interval 1.53-4.61; p = 0.001), respectively. Seropositivity for anti-Borrelia IgG was also associated with both atherosclerotic endpoints when age, sex and further atherogenic risk factors and confounders were included in multivariable statistical models.


CONCLUSIONS
In a region with endemic Lyme disease, seropositivity for anti-Borrelia IgG antibodies is independently associated with atherosclerosis. Our findings add support to the hypothesis that exposure to infectious pathogens increases the atherosclerosis risk.
Völzke
Henry
H
Institute of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, Ernst Moritz Arndt University Greifswald, Walther-Rathenau-Str. 48, D-17487 Greifswald, Germany. voelzke@uni-greifwald.de
Wolff
Birger
B
Lüdemann
Jan
J
Guertler
Lutz
L
Kramer
Axel
A
John
Ulrich
U
Felix
Stephan B
SB
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D025065:Borrelia burgdorferi / Q000276:immunology*; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002342:Carotid Artery, External / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology*; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G