Demonstration of an Association between Chlamydia pneumoniae Infection and Venous Thromboembolic Disease

Olivier Lozinguez; Emmanuel Arnaud; Laurent Belec; Viviane Nicaud; Martine Alhenc-Gelas; Jean-Noël Fiessinger; Martine Aiach; Joseph Emmerich

doi:10.1055/s-0037-1613938

Thrombosis and Haemostasis, Table of Contents

Thromb Haemost 2000; 83(06): 887-891
DOI: 10.1055/s-0037-1613938

Commentary

Schattauer GmbH

Demonstration of an Association between Chlamydia pneumoniae Infection and Venous Thromboembolic Disease

Olivier Lozinguez

¹From Service de Médecine Vasculaire et centre Claude Bernard de recherche sur les maladies vasculaires, Service de Microbiologie and INSERM U428, U430 and U525, Hôpital Broussais, Paris, France

,

Emmanuel Arnaud

¹From Service de Médecine Vasculaire et centre Claude Bernard de recherche sur les maladies vasculaires, Service de Microbiologie and INSERM U428, U430 and U525, Hôpital Broussais, Paris, France

,

Laurent Belec

¹From Service de Médecine Vasculaire et centre Claude Bernard de recherche sur les maladies vasculaires, Service de Microbiologie and INSERM U428, U430 and U525, Hôpital Broussais, Paris, France

,

Viviane Nicaud

¹From Service de Médecine Vasculaire et centre Claude Bernard de recherche sur les maladies vasculaires, Service de Microbiologie and INSERM U428, U430 and U525, Hôpital Broussais, Paris, France

,

Martine Alhenc-Gelas

¹From Service de Médecine Vasculaire et centre Claude Bernard de recherche sur les maladies vasculaires, Service de Microbiologie and INSERM U428, U430 and U525, Hôpital Broussais, Paris, France

,

Jean-Noël Fiessinger

¹From Service de Médecine Vasculaire et centre Claude Bernard de recherche sur les maladies vasculaires, Service de Microbiologie and INSERM U428, U430 and U525, Hôpital Broussais, Paris, France

,

Martine Aiach

¹From Service de Médecine Vasculaire et centre Claude Bernard de recherche sur les maladies vasculaires, Service de Microbiologie and INSERM U428, U430 and U525, Hôpital Broussais, Paris, France

,

Joseph Emmerich

¹From Service de Médecine Vasculaire et centre Claude Bernard de recherche sur les maladies vasculaires, Service de Microbiologie and INSERM U428, U430 and U525, Hôpital Broussais, Paris, France

› Author Affiliations

Abstract

Summary

Chlamydia pneumoniae infection has been linked to atherosclerosis, but a possible relationship with venous thromboembolism (VTE) has not been sought. We determined circulating anti-C. pneumoniae antibody levels in patients with VTE. We studied 176 case patients with objectively diagnosed VTE and 197 age-and sex-matched healthy controls, in a retrospective study. Acquired risk factors for VTE and frequent predisposing genetic factors (factor V Arg 506 Gln and factor II G 20210 A mutations) were assessed in all the subjects. Anti-C. pneumoniae IgG antibodies were determined by microimmunofluorescence. All positive plasma samples (titer ≥128) were precisely quantified and tested for the presence of specific IgM antibodies. Fiftyfour percent of the cases and 15.9% of the controls had specific IgG titers of at least 256 (p <0.0001). The crude odds ratio for VTE was 6.2 (95% CI, 3.8-10.1), and rose to 7.7 (4.5-13.2) after excluding subjects carrying the factor V Arg 506 Gln or factor II G 20210 A mutations. The odds ratio for VTE increased with the IgG titer: the adjusted odds ratios were 2.1 (95% CI, 1.1-4.1), 5.3 (2.7-10.6) and 33.0 (4.4-248.4) for titers of 256, 512 and 1024, respectively. Only one subject (a case patient) with a high IgG titer (≥256) also had specific IgM. High titers of anti-C. pneumoniae IgG antibodies are frequently found in patients with previous venous thromboembolism. This association deserves to be confirmed in other case-control studies and prospective studies.

All authors have reviewed the manuscript and agree with its content.

Keywords

Deep vein thrombosis - pulmonary embolism - venous thromboembolism - chlamydia pneumoniae - thrombosis

Full Text

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