Korean J Lab Med.
2003 Oct;23(5):315-318.
Evaluation of Chlamydia Antibody Using Micro-immunofluorescence in Acute Myocardiac Infarction
- Affiliations
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- 1Department of Laboratory Medicine, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju, Korea. sjkim8239@hanmail.net
- 2Institute of Health Sciences, Korea.
Abstract
- BACKGROUND
Chlamydia pneumoniae can cause chronic inflammation in the arterial wall. C. pneumoniae infection has been investigated as a new risk factor for acute myocardiac infarction (AMI), afatal outcome of coronary artery occlusion. METHODS: IgG and IgM for C. pneumoniae using micro-immunofluorescence were evaluated in 80 AMI patients and 46 controls without coronary arterial disease. RESULTS: Chronic infection, defined by equal or higher than 1: 32 titers of IgG of C. pneumoniae, was observed in 51.3% (41/80) in AMI and 17.4% (8/46) in controls (P<0.05). None of the subjects showed acute infection, defined by equal or higher than either 1: 16 of IgM or 1: 512 of IgG of C. pneumoniae. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic C. pneumoniae infection was significantly more common in AMI patients compared to the controls.