Further evidence against the implication of active cytomegalovirus infection in vascular atherosclerotic diseases

The possible contribution of cytomegalovirus (CMV) to pathogenetic events a ssociated with atherosclerotic lesion establishment and progression is stil l controversial. We evaluated the possibility that active ongoing CMV infec tion could be correlated to evolution of unstable atheromatous lesion, by a nalyzing patients suffering from unstable angina (n = 61). acute myocardial infarction (n = 43), stable angina (n = 26) and peripheral arteriopathy (n = 22) as compared to healthy subjects (n = 30). Particularly, we assessed: past exposure to CMV by evaluating anti-CMV IgG antibodies; ongoing CMV in fection by evaluating anti-CMV IgM antibodies and circulating interleukin ( IL)-8 in serum; and CMV DNAemia in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC ). Mean IgG values were significantly increased in patients from all groups , as compared to healthy subjects. CMV-specific IgM, as well as CMV DNAemia , were undetectable in both controls and patients. Circulating IL-8, signif icantly elevated in a group of individuals experiencing active CMV infectio n, was not significantly higher in cardiovascular disease patients, as comp ared to control subjects. These findings confirm previous evidence from the increased exposure to CMV infection in patients with atheromatous lesions. However, they provide further evidence against a direct implication of act ive systemic CMV infection in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases, particularly those involving plaque instability. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.