Effect of coexistence of Chlamydia pneumoniae and increased epicardial fat thickness on coronary artery disease

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Epicardial fat thickness (EFT) and chlamydia infection are independent cardiovascular risk factors in coronary artery disease (CAD). We aimed to evaluate the effect of coexistence of EFT and chlamydia infection on the presence and severity of CAD in patients with stable angina pectoris (SAP). PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included 208 patients with SAP, divided into a CAD group (n=112) and a control group (n=96). The presence of Chlamydia pneumoniae-IgG (CP-IgG), EFT, and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were compared between groups. RESULTS: CP-IgG, LVEF, and EFT were found to be independent predictors of CAD (CP-IgG, OR=1.559, p=0.021; LVEF, OR= 0.798, p<0.001; EFT, OR=3.175, p=0.026). Moreover, a statistically significant interaction was detected between CP-IgG and EFT for predicting the presence of CAD (p<0.001). A good positive correlation was found between EFT and Gensini score (r=0.684, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: We found that there was an interaction between CP-Ig and EFT for CAD development. This finding suggests that the interaction of CP-IgG and EFT plays a prominent role in the inflammatory process.