Markers of chronic infection and inflammation - Are they important in cases with chronic coronary heart disease

The human cytomegalovirus plays a causal role in atherosclerosis etiology, but it is discussed as controversial. We conducted a case control study to investigate whether previous infection with cytomegalovirus is associated w ith coronary heart disease and markers of systemic inflammation, because sy stemic inflammation may play a role in atherosclerosis too. We also studied the correlation between anti-cytomegalovirus antibody titer and coronary artery disease. The study involved 150 cases (45 females, mean age +/- SD is 58.73 +/- 7.68 years) with a documented coronary heart disease and 160 healthy volunteers (50 females, mean age +/- SD is 57.82 +/- 7.68, p > 0.05). Cytomegalovirus serology was performed to determine the presence of specific IgG antibodie s and titers of the anti-cytomegalovirus IgG antibodies. In addition, C-Rea ctive protein levels were determined for each case. The prevalance of speci fic antibodies to cytomegalovirus was 57.30% for the patients and 56% for t he controls (p = 0.39). But higher levels of anti-cytomegalovirus IgG antib ody titer (> 1/ 800) were seen in the patient group (28.6% versus 10%, p = 0.0000). Mean value of C-reactive protein was higher in the patient group ( 2.99 +/- 0.92 mg/l versus 1.79 +/- 0.51 mg/l, p = 0.0000), and there was a linar correlation with the high antibody titers and the level of C-reactive protein (r = 0.35, P = 0.0000) These findings support that not the seropositivity of the population but ra ther the titer of anti-cytomegalovirus antibody and the levels of C-reactiv e protein could predict patients with a high risk of coronary heart disease .