Circulating Chlamydia pneumoniae DNA and advanced coronary artery disease.
BACKGROUND
Chlamydia pneumoniae (C. pneumoniae) has been linked to atherosclerosis. Detection of this pathogen in peripheral blood cells may be valuable in the diagnosis of disease state. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of circulating C. pneumoniae DNA and its relationship with severity and extent of coronary artery disease (CAD).


METHODS
Blood samples from 269 patients undergoing coronary angiography were collected. The presence of circulating C. pneumoniae DNA was determined by real-time PCR assay. Data regarding coronary risk factors and severity and extent of CAD were collected. Severity and extent of CAD was defined by the number of major epicardial coronary arteries with >50% stenosis and by the Duke jeopardy score.


RESULTS
Sixteen of 269 specimens (5.9%) from the study cohort were positive for C. pneumoniae DNA. Thirteen specimens among 149 samples from patients with multi-vessel disease (8.7%) were positive for C. pneumoniae DNA compared with 3 of 120 (2.5%) among patients without multi-vessel CAD. The prevalence of circulating C. pneumoniae DNA was significantly associated with multi-vessel disease. The odds ratio was 5.1 (P=0.02) after adjustment for conventional risk factors.


CONCLUSIONS
Presence of circulating C. pneumoniae DNA is associated with advanced CAD, suggesting C. pneumoniae infection as a contributing factor to progression of coronary atherosclerosis.
Wang
Shaoshan S
SS
Division of Cardiology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
Tondella
Maria Lucia C
ML
Bajpai
Ambar
A
Mathew
Anil G
AG
Mehranpour
Payam
P
Li
Wei
W
Kacharava
Andro G
AG
Fields
Barry S
BS
Austin
Harland
H
Zafari
A Maziar
AM
D016470:Bacteremia / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D023521:Chlamydophila Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005845:Georgia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D004269:DNA, Bacterial