[Prevalence of chlamydia pneumoniae antibodies in patients with coronary heart disease].

A possible role of infectious agents in the pathogenesis and progression of cardiovascular system diseases has been postulated by many scientists. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the correlation between Chlamydia pneumoniae infections and coronary heart disease. A group of 211 patients including: 120 patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) [63 patients enrolled for precutaneous coronary interventions (PTCA), 14 with proven restenosis after PTCA and 43 after coronary artery bypass grafting with recurrence of CHD symptoms], 17 patients suffering from congenital heart diseases or mitral valve stenosis with normal coronary angiograms and 74 healthy volunteers were tested. The levels of serum IgM, IgG and IgA antibodies for Chlamydia pneumoniae were measured with indirect microimmunofluorescence test (MRL Diagnostic, USA). C. pneumoniae specific IgG antibodies were detected in both, patients as well as healthy volunteers. They were seropositive with similar frequency (28.3% and 28.6% respectively). Among CHD patients, however, in PTCA/rest patients, specific C. pneumoniae antibodies have been detected more often (42.9%). Prevalence of C. pneumoniae specific antibodies correlated with patients' age, sex. There was no relation between behavioral habits (smoking) and presence C. pneumoniae antibodies.