title: Elevated levels of anti-Chlamydia pneumoniae IgA and IgG antibodies in young adults with ischemic stroke.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Data on the role of Chlamydia pneumoniae in patients with ischemic stroke are inconsistent. We investigated the presence of anti-C. pneumoniae antibodies in young adults with ischemic stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  94 patients (<55 years) with ischemic stroke and 103 controls were enrolled. Indices of anti-C. pneumoniae IgA and IgG were assessed with an ELISA. We determined OR and 95% CI for the IgA and IgG seropositivity in stroke cases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean IgA and IgG indices were higher in stroke patients vs controls (IgA: 1.40 vs 0.56; P < 0.001; IgG: 0.85 vs. 0.78; P < 0.003). The IgA seropositivity was associated with stroke risk (11.92; 5.94-23.92; P < 0.001) as well as IgG seropositivity was (2.31; 1.15-4.61; P < 0.016). Seropositivity assessed with combined IgA and IgG indices was associated with increased stroke risk (OR 9.35; 95% CI 4.78-18.29; P < 0.0001). After controlling for age and sex, the IgA seropositivity yielded a significantly adjusted OR for stroke (8.95; 4.44-18.07; P < 0.002), while IgG seropositivity did not (0.85; 0.53-1.63).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We find an increased risk of stroke in young patients seropositive to C. pneumoniae in the IgA antibody class. Further studies to explore this finding are warranted.
authors: Department of Neurology, The Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland. bpiechow@amwaw.edu.pl
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Piechowski-Jóźwiak
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Mickielewicz
authors: Z
authors: Z
authors: Gaciong
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Berent
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Kwieciński
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G