title: Circulating Chlamydia pneumoniae DNA and advanced coronary artery disease.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
authors.forename: Shaoshan S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Maria Lucia C
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Tondella
authors.forename: Ambar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bajpai
authors.forename: Anil G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Mathew
authors.forename: Payam
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mehranpour
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Andro G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Kacharava
authors.forename: Barry S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Fields
authors.forename: Harland
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Austin
authors.forename: A Maziar
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Zafari
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial