Association of Chlamydia pneumoniae infection and carotid intima-media wall thickness in Japanese Americans.
BACKGROUND
Chlamydia pneumoniae (Cp) infection has been proposed as a risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD), but it remains unclear whether Cp plays a role in the progression of early stage carotid atherosclerosis.


RESULTS
The associations among Cp IgG/IgA antibodies, inflammation markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin (IL)-6, and the maximal progression of carotid intima-media wall thickness (max IMT) were evaluated using ultrasonography in 259 Japanese Americans. The presence of Cp IgG or IgA antibodies itself did not show significant correlation with max IMT after adjustment for age and sex. However, in the Cp IgG seropositive group, the subjects with high IL-6 levels showed more pronounced max IMT progression than those with low IL-6 levels after adjustment of the other CAD risk factors. Moreover, in the Cp IgA seropositive group, the subjects with high CRP or IL-6 levels had significantly higher levels of max IMT compared with those with low CRP or IL-6.


CONCLUSIONS
The results support the hypothesis that a chronic latent Cp infection with inflammation might accelerate the development of early stage atherosclerotic lesions.
Jitsuiki
Kuniaki
K
Department of Molecular and Internal Medicine, Division of Clinical Medical Science, Programs for Applied Biomedicine, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
Yamane
Kiminori
K
Nakajima
Masamitsu
M
Nakanishi
Shuhei
S
Tasaki
Naohito
N
Watanabe
Hiroshi
H
Kurihara
Hidemi
H
Kohno
Nobuoki
N
D000368:Aged; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D001213:Asian; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*
D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D015850:Interleukin-6; D002097:C-Reactive Protein