Evaluation of the level of antibodies against Chlamydophila (Chlamydia) pneumoniae in post-surgery heart ischaemia patients and their clinical conditions - a six-year study

Chlamydophila pneumoniae infection and cardiovascular disease

Atherosclerosis is a multifactorial vascular inflammatory process; however, the inciting cause for inflammation remains unclear. Two decades ago, Chlamydophila pneumoniae (formerly Chlamydia pneumoniae) infection was proposed as a putative etiologic agent. We performed a PubMed search using the keywords Chlamydia and atherosclerosis in a Boolean query to identify published studies on C. pneumoniae and its role in atherogenesis, and to understand research interest in this topic. We found 1,652 published articles on this topic between 1991 and 2011. We analyzed relevant published studies and found various serological, molecular, and animal modeling studies in the early period. Encouraged by positive results from these studies, more than a dozen antibiotic clinical-trials were subsequently conducted, which did not find clinical benefits of anti-Chlamydophila drug therapy. While many researchers believe that the organism is still important, negative clinical trials had a similar impact on overall research interest. With many novel mechanisms identified for atherogenesis, there is a need for newer paradigms in Chlamydophila-atherosclerosis research.

Respiratory pressures and expiratory peak flow rate of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery

Background

To evaluate clinical and laboratorial parameters that predict decreased respiratory function in patients subjected to coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG).

Material/Methods

This was a prospective study evaluating 61 patients subjected to CABG with cardiopulmonary bypass, median sternotomy, and under mechanical ventilation for up to 24 h. One day before surgery, clinical information was recorded. Maximal inspiratory (MIP) and expiratory (MEP) pressures, and expiratory peak flow rate (EPFR) values were assessed 1 day before surgery and on the fifth postoperative day. Student’s t test, 2-way ANOVA, Pearson’s linear correlation, and logistic regression were used for statistical analysis.

Results

Patients were 63±10 years old, 67% males. Arterial hypertension was found in 75.4% of the patients, diabetes in 31.2%, dyslipidemia in 63.9%, tabagism in 25%, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in 16.4%. Previous myocardial infarction was found in 67%. Preoperative hemoglobin levels were 12.8±1.71 g/dL. Older individuals had lower preoperative MEP and EPFR values. Preoperatively, positive association was found between hemoglobin levels and maximal respiratory pressures and EPFR values. Patients with both class III angina and COPD presented higher reductions in pulmonary pressures between the preoperative period and the 5^th postoperative day.

Conclusions

Older age and low hemoglobin levels are associated with preoperative low maximal respiratory pressures and EPFR. The combination of severe angina and COPD results in higher postoperative reduction of maximal respiratory pressures for patients who underwent CABG.