Abstract
Chronic infection with Chlamydophila pneumoniae (C pneumoniae) has been associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD). This study evaluates the association of acute C pneumoniae infection and CVD in adult patients. We conducted a cross-sectional study that included 397 patients with a diagnosis of CVD, and 127 without CVD, at the Hospital General de Zona del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS) in the state of Morelos, Mexico; the diagnosis was established by the Department of Cardiology. Patients with CVD were divided into 4 groups: I) Cardiac arrhythmia, II) Ischemic heart disease, III) Hypertensive heart disease and, IV) Valvular heart disease. Exposure to C pneumoniae was measured by antibody determination (IgG, IgM e IgA) with the microimmunofluorescence (MIF) technique. Statistical analysis included the determination of prevalence, and multiple logistic regression analysis. Results showed that the prevalence of acute C pneumoniae infection in the study population was 21%, and was highest in the groups with CVD versus patients without CVD, and an association was established (OR, 13.93; 95% CI, 3.8-66.1). Likewise, when comparing the Ig titer geometric means, we found that an acute C pneumoniae infection increased the risk of presenting a cardiac arrhythmia and ischemic heart disease by a factor of 18, and increased 12-fold the risk of having hypertensive or valvular heart disease. The prevalence of acute infection + chronic infection was greater in the group with ischemic heart disease (18.4%). Our study reflects the great significance of seroprevalence of acute infection with C pneumoniae among patients with CVD. Further, the seroprevalence of acute infection + chronic infection was greater in patients with ischemic heart disease, suggesting that this combination may be associated with the mechanisms leading to atherosclerosis mediating coronary episodes. It appears that this is the first report on the subject.