Anti-cytomegalovirus antibodies and other atherosclerosis risk factors in patients with cardiovascular diseases

Objective To determine anti-cytomegalovirus(CMV) antibodies along with anti-Chlamydia pneumoniae(CP) antibodies in comparison with inflammatory markers and other risk factors of atherosclerosis in patients with selected cardiovascular diseases(CVD) . Methods A total of 228 patients with coronary heart disease(CHD) and/or hyperten-sion(HT) ,and those who underwent reconstructive vascular surgery(RVS) on carotids or abdominal aorta were tested for the presence of anti-CMV IgG and IgM antibodies as well as for anti-CP IgA antibodies,C-reactive protein(CRP) ,and interleukin-6(IL-6) . Other risk factors for atherosclerosis,namely age,gender,smoking,hypercholesterolemia,and diabetes mellitus were also analyzed. Results Anti-CMV IgG antibodies were found in 204 patients sera(89.5%) ,compared with 46 positive of 68 sera in the controls(67.6%) ,whereas anti-CMV IgM antibodies were detected in 4 of 54 sera of patients tested(7.4%) ,but not in the controls. The highest proportion of positive sera with not only anti-CMV IgG antibodies(95.6.7%) ,but also anti-CP IgA antibodies(78.3%) ,IL-6(84.8%) and CRP(97.8%) ,was observed in patients with RVS. The results obtained corresponded to age,hypercholesterolemia,and diabetes. Conclusions The presence of anti-CMV antibodies together with antibodies to CP and markers of inflammation(CRP and IL-6) in our study was associated with CVD,primarily in elderly patients who underwent RVS.