title: Seropositivity for anti-Borrelia IgG antibody is independently associated with carotid atherosclerosis.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, Ernst Moritz Arndt University Greifswald, Walther-Rathenau-Str. 48, D-17487 Greifswald, Germany. voelzke@uni-greifwald.de
authors.forename: Henry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Völzke
authors.forename: Birger
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wolff
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lüdemann
authors.forename: Lutz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Guertler
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kramer
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: John
authors.forename: Stephan B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Felix
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G