Andreasen J J
Thoraxkirurgisk afdeling R., Amtssygehuset i Gentofte.
Ugeskr Laeger. 1997 Sep 8;159(37):5503-7.
Several seroepidemiological studies have shown an association between chronic infection with Chlamydia pneumoniae and atherosclerosis of the coronary and carotid arteries as well as with acute myocardial infarction. Chlamydia-specific antibodies and circulating immune complexes are found more often in patients than in controls. The organism can often be shown in atherosclerotic plaques from coronary, carotid, iliac and femoral arteries as well as from the aorta, employing electron microscopy, immunocytochemical staining and the polymerase chain reaction, but is seldom demonstrated in arteries without atherosclerosis. Only one successful isolation by culture from an atherosclerotic coronary artery has been described. Whether there is any etiological or pathogenetic link between atherosclerosis and chronic infection with C. pneumoniae remains to be elucidated.
多项血清流行病学研究表明，肺炎衣原体慢性感染与冠状动脉和颈动脉粥样硬化以及急性心肌梗死之间存在关联。与对照组相比，患者体内更常发现衣原体特异性抗体和循环免疫复合物。利用电子显微镜、免疫细胞化学染色和聚合酶链反应，在冠状动脉、颈动脉、髂动脉和股动脉以及主动脉的动脉粥样硬化斑块中常可发现该病原体，但在无动脉粥样硬化的动脉中很少能检测到。仅报道过一例从动脉粥样硬化冠状动脉中通过培养成功分离出该病原体的病例。动脉粥样硬化与肺炎衣原体慢性感染之间是否存在任何病因学或发病机制上的联系仍有待阐明。
