L. Ostergaard et al., Risk of hospitalization for cardiovascular disease after use of macrolidesand penicillins: A comparative prospective cohort study, J INFEC DIS, 183(11), 2001, pp. 1625-1630
Chlamydia pneumoniae has been associated with cardiovascular diseases, and
C. pneumoniae infection is treatable with macrolides. In this comparative c
ohort study, 634 users of macrolides and 3827 users of penicillins were ide
ntified from the Danish Health Service Registry of Prescriptions and follow
ed up for an average of 6 months. The patients were then linked to the Regi
onal Hospital Discharge Registry to assess the outcome of hospitalization f
or cardiovascular disease. In the first 3 months, the relative risk (RR) of
admission for a cardiovascular disease was 0.48 (95% confidence interval,
0.27-0.88) in users of macrolides compared with users of penicillins. No di
fference was seen after 3 months. Interaction analyses indicated that the l
ower risk seen in users of macrolides could be more pronounced in patients
without versus those with a previous cardiovascular disease (RR, 0.39 vs. 0
.52), in patients greater than or equal to 60 versus <60 years old (RR, 0.3
9 vs. 0.64), and in men versus women (RR, 0.35 vs. 0.67).