Inflammatory markers and antichlamydial antibodies in patients with metabolic syndrome.
BACKGROUND
The metabolic syndrome is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events. Inflammatory markers and antichlamydial antibodies have been linked to the development and progression of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular events.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the inflammatory markers interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), as well as anti-chlamydia pneumoniae antibodies, in patients with metabolic syndrome (MS), with and without cardiovascular events.


METHODS
Cross sectional study consisting of 147 individuals. Out of these, 100 (68%) with MS and without cardiovascular events; and 47 (32%) with MS and with cardiovascular events. Among the individuals who had had cardiovascular events, 13 (6.11%) had acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and ten (4.7%) had cerebrovascular accident (CVA). The diagnosis of MS was determined by the criteria of NCEP-ATPIII.


RESULTS
The mean age of subjects with cardiovascular events was 61.26 ± 8.5 and 59.32 ± 9.9 in subjects without such events (p = 0.279), with a predominance of females. The weight, height, BMI and waist circumference of the group with MS and without event was greater. Among individuals with cardiovascular events (p = 0.001), the inflammatory markers IL-6 and TNF-α and the peripheral vascular disease were significantly greater. There were high levels of IgG antibodies to C. pneumoniae in the SM group, without events, and of IgA antibodies in the group with events, when the two groups were compared. With respect to AMI and stroke, the anti-chlamydia pneumoniae antibodies showed no statistical significance, compared to the group without cardiovascular events. An association was observed with the use of statins, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and injectable, oral hypoglycemic agents, in the group with these events.


CONCLUSIONS
The inflammatory markers were significantly elevated in patients with MS, with acute myocardial infarction and stroke. There was no significant difference in anti-chlamydial antibodies in patients with MS, with and without events.
Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. rosecler.franco@unijui.edu.br
Rosecler Riethmuller
RR
Franco
Luiz Carlos
LC
Bodanese
Giuseppe
G
Repetto
Jacqueline da Costa Escobar
Jda C
Piccoli
Mario
M
Wiehe
Cassiane
C
Bonato
Marta Maria Medeiros Frescura
MM
Duarte
Thiago
T
Duarte
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D008875:Middle Aged; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood*
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D015415:Biomarkers; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha