A POSSIBLE ASSOCIATION OF CHLAMYDIA-PNEUMONIAE INFECTION AND ACUTE MYOCARDIAL-INFARCTION IN PATIENTS YOUNGER THAN 65 YEARS OF AGE

Study objectives: We conducted a retrospective study on patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and evaluated the incidence and prev alence of Chlamydia pneumoniae infection. Methods: Sixty-one consecuti ve patients with AMI aged younger than 65 years were enrolled. Within 24 h of hospital admission, serum samples and pharyngeal swab specimen s were obtained from all patients. In 49 of 61 patients, after a mean of 28 days from hospital admission, a second serum sample was drawn. A third serum sample was obtained in 23 of 61 patients. Serologic testi ng for Chlamydia pneumoniae was performed by a microimmunofluorescence test. We applied a nested-polymerase chain reaction for C pneumoniae DNA detection to pharyngeal swab specimens. Simultaneously, we perform ed a serologic study for C pneumoniae infection on 61 serum samples ob tained from blood donors, matched for age, sex, and smoking habits. Re sults: Serologic test results for C pneumoniae were consistent with ac ute reinfection in 12 patients, with chronic infection in 23 patients, and results were negative in 26 patients with AMI. In 3 of 12 patient s with acute reinfection pattern and in 3 of 23 patients with chronic infection pattern, C pneumoniae DNA was detected on pharyngeal swab sp ecimens. A significantly higher prevalence of IgG titers was observed ill patients with AMI (35/61) compared to blood donors (18/61) (p=0.00 3). Conclusion: Our data confirm the possible role of C pneumoniae inf ection in coronary heart disease and suggest that reinfection may trig ger the onset of AMI.