Antibodies against Chlamydia pneumoniae and their relation to lymphocyte population levels

Producción CientíficaChlamydia pneumoniae infection has long been suspected as a possible cause of atherosclerosis and has been frequently detected in atheromatous plaques of the coronary arteries. Nevertheless, its distribution is not correlated to the severity or extent of the disease, but it would support the hypothesis that the organism may be an active factor in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. A group of patients with stable angina were examined as to whether or not the positivity of antibodies against Chlamydia pneumoniae modified cellular populations as mechanisms responsible for the alterations of inflammatory response. We concluded that the presence of IgG anti-C. pneumoniae antibodies do not participate in the activation of inflammatory mechanisms that may intervene in the genesis of atherosclerosis in patients with stable angina

Antibodies against Chlamydia pneumoniae in stable angina and interleukin-6 levels

Producción CientíficaInflammation is a key mechanism in atherogenesis and the rapid progression of coronary artery disease. Tissue lesion occasions the release of chemical mediators, cytokines, accompanied by an increase in the blood concentrations of acute phase reactants, such as fibrinogen, C-reactive protein, serum amyloid A protein, sialic acid and ceruloplasmin and a reduction of those of albumin. It has been observed that these proteins are higher in patients with is-chemic heart disease and, furthermore, who have a higher tendency to present adverse cardiovascular incidents [1]. On the other hand, the inflammation appears to be directly linked to the ‘vulnerability’ or ‘instability’ of the atheromatous plaques that pre-dispose to disruption and acute coronary incidents. The inflammatory mechanism, therefore, can repre-sent the final common connection channel of chronic infection between atherogenesis and the clinical manifestations of coronary artery disease [2]

Valor pronóstico de los anticuerpos anti-Chlamydia pneumoniae en la cardiopatía isquémica

Producción CientíficaSe ha relacionado la enfermedad arterial coronaria con infección por Chlamydia pneumoniae, pero existen pocos estudios que valoren la presencia de anticuerpos frente a este microorganismo y el pronóstico de los pacientes con cardiopatía isquémica. El objetivo de nuestro estudio fue valorar el impacto de la positividad de anticuerpos anti-Chlamydia pneumoniae en la morbimortalidad asociada a la cardiopatía isquémica