2004 Volume 68 Issue 7 Pages 628-633
Background Recently it has become clear that inflammatory changes play a part in the development of atherosclerosis, including coronary artery disease, and Chlamydia pneumoniae (C. pneumoniae) is thought to be a proinflammatory factor. The plasma concentration of high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) is a potential predictor of outcome in atherosclerotic diseases. Recent interest has focused on secretory group IIA phospholipase A2 (sPLA 2) in regard to the progression of atherosclerotic disease. Methods and Results The concentrations of sPLA2, hs-CRP, and the titers of C. pneumoniae IgG and IgA antibodies were measured in blood samples. The study groups were an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) group, old myocardial infarction/angina pectoris (OMI/AP) group, and a control group. The concentrations of sPLA2 and hs-CRP in the ACS group and the OMI/AP group were higher than in the control group. The titers of C. pneumoniae IgG and IgA were higher in the ACS group than in the control group. The sPLA2 concentration was higher in those who were positive to C. pneumoniae IgG/IgA than in those who were negative. Conclusion Increased concentrations of sPLA2 reflect participation in the progression of coronary artery disease. The sPLA2 concentration was higher in patients positive for C. pneumoniae than in those negative for C. pneumoniae, so C. pneumoniae infection poses a greater risk for ACS in those individuals than in those who are free of such infection. (Circ J 2004; 68: 628 - 633)
