Prevalence of Chlamydia pneumoniae and Mycoplasma pneumoniae in different forms of coronary disease

• Published in: Arquivos brasileiros de cardiologia Vol. 92; no. 6; pp. 405 - 445
• Main Authors: Maia, Irineu Luiz, Nicolau, José Carlos, Machado, Maurício de Nassau, Maia, Lília Nigro, Takakura, Isabela Thomaz, Rocha, Paulo Ricardo de Fernando, Cordeiro, José Antônio, Ramires, José Antônio Franchini
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil 01.06.2009
• Subjects: Acute Coronary Syndrome - microbiology; Aged; Antibodies, Bacterial - blood; Chlamydophila pneumoniae - immunology; Chronic Disease; Epidemiologic Methods; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Mycoplasma pneumoniae - immunology
• ISSN: 1678-4170
• DOI: 10.1590/S0066-782X2009000600005

Several infectious agents have been investigated since the association between atherosclerosis and infection was demonstrated; however, the results of these studies are contradictory. To test the association between serum titers of anti-Chlamydia and anti-Mycoplasma antibodies in different forms of acute coronary syndromes (ACS). One hundred and twenty-six patients were divided in 4 groups: ACS with ST-segment elevation (32 patients), ACS without ST-segment elevation (30 patients), chronic coronary artery disease (30 patients) and blood donors without known coronary disease (34 patients--control group). In the two first groups, serum samples were collected at hospital admission (first 24 hours of hospitalization) and after a 6-month follow-up. In the other two groups, only a basal sample was collected. Anti-Chlamydia and anti-Mycoplasma antibodies were measured by indirect immunofluorescence in all samples. Significant differences were observed between the basal sample and the one measured after a 6-month follow-up in patients with myocardial infarction with ST-segment elevation for Chlamydia (650+/-115.7 versus 307+/-47.5, p=0.0001) as well as Mycoplasma (36.5+/-5.0 versus 21.5+/-3.5, p=0.0004). The groups with ACS had higher anti-Chlamydia and anti-Mycoplasma serum antibody levels in the basal measurement, when compared to the patients with chronic coronary disease and the control group, but the differences were not statistically significant. The present study showed an association between the serum titers of anti-Chlamydia and anti-Mycoplasma antibodies in the acute phase of patients with unstable angina or myocardial infarction.