Investigation of the relation between ischemic cerebrovascular disease and Chlamydia pneumoniae infections

• Main Authors: Murat Çalık, Yavuz Uyar, Musa Kazım Onar, Murat Günaydın
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Turkish Society of Cerebrovascular Diseases 2013-02-01
• Series: Türk Beyin Damar Hastalıkları Dergisi
• Subjects: Ischemic cerebrovascular disease; Chalmydia Pneumoniae; atherosclerosis; infection.
• Online Access: http://www.journalagent.com/tbdhd/pdfs/TBDHD-68552-RESEARCH_ARTICLE-CALIK.pdf

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to investigate whether there is a relation between Chlamydia pneumoniae infection and ischemic cerebrovascular diseases. METHODS: This study was done on 100 individuals, 50 of whom were at the ages between 40-74 with transient ischemic attack (TIA) or acute ischemic stroke and 50 of whom were healthy controls at the same age and gender distributions. All cases on the patient and control group had a complete neurological examination, chest radiographs, routine biochemical and hematological tests, doppler USG investigations of carotid and vertebral arteries were done. Hypertension, heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, stroke, diabetes mellitus and another metabolic disease, oral anticoagulant use were investigated in the patient and control groups. Those who have diabetes, heart valve disease, cardiac rhytm disorders and history of use of oral anticoagulants were excluded. C. Pneumoniae antibodies were investigated by microimmunoflourescent (MIF) method in the serum of patients and controls. Antibody determination was made separately for IgA, IgM and IgG. RESULTS: IgA-type antibodies were detected 62% on the patient group where as 32% on the control group. IgA-type antibodies against C. Pneumoniae were found more frequently in patients than in control subjects (p<0.01). ).IgM-type antibodies against C. Pneumoniae weren’t present in both groups. IgG-type antibodies were detected as 74% in the patient group where as 56% in the control group.There was no difference between patients and controls groups for IgG-type antibodies.In addition, chronic persistent C. Pneumoniae infection was found in 8 patients (16% ), there was no chronic persistent infection in the control group. However patient numbers were small for statistical evaluation. Acute C. Pneumoniae infection was not present in both groups. CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that C. Pneumoniae infection may be a risk factor predisposing for ischemic cerebrovascular disease.