The effect of azithromycin and Chlamydophilia pneumonia infection on expansion of small abdominal aortic aneurysms--a prospective randomized double-blind trial.

Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of azithromycin on the expansion rate of small abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs), and to determine whether or not a correlation exists between serological markers for Chlamydophilia pneumonia (Cpn) infection and AAA expansion.

Methods: Nine vascular centers were included and 259 patients were invited to participate. Ten patients declined and 2 patients had chronic kidney failure, leaving a total of 247 patients.

Detection of Chlamydia pneumoniae on cytospin preparations from bronchoalveolar lavage in COPD patients and in lung tissue from advanced emphysema.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with smoking but other etiological factors contribute. Chlamydia pneumoniae is an obligate intracellular bacterium causing both acute and chronic respiratory tract infections. Studies have revealed an association between chronic C.

No prognostic significance of chronic infection with Chlamydia pneumoniae in acute coronary syndromes: insights from the Global Utilization of Strategies to Open Occluded Arteries IV Acute Coronary Syndromes trial.

Background: Although relationships between chronic Chlamydia pneumoniae (Cpn) infection and the risk of coronary events in stable coronary artery disease patients have been reported, a similar link in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients has not been consistently observed.

Methods: In a nested case-control substudy of the Global Utilization of Strategies to Open Occluded Arteries IV Acute Coronary Syndromes trial, 295 cases (30-day death/myocardial infarction [MI]) were matched by age, sex, baseline creatine kinase-myocardial kinase, and smoking status with 295 control subjects. To test the hypothesis on 1-year mortality, another subset (n = 276) was drawn from the 590-patient cohort; 138 patients who died at 1 year plus the matching controls who survived at 1 year.

Chlamydia pneumoniae infection predicts a reduced risk for subsequent atopic disease.

Aim: To investigate long-term effects on children previously infected with Chlamydia pneumoniae.

Methods: A follow-up questionnaire was sent to all participants from a former population-based study in order to investigate health status during the 4 y that had elapsed between the two studies. In the original study, the prevalence of C.

Intermittent azithromycin treatment for respiratory symptoms in patients with chronic Chlamydia pneumoniae infection.

Chlamydia pneumoniae (Cpn) is a common respiratory pathogen with a biphasic replicative cycle and has a tendency to cause chronic infections. Azithromycin is commonly used for the treatment of Cpn infections, but little is known about the optimal dose and duration of therapy. In this prospective double-blind, randomized study the effects of azithromycin and placebo were compared regarding longstanding airway and/or pharyngeal symptoms in patients with chronic Cpn infection.

Chronic Chlamydia pneumoniae infection is a risk factor for the development of COPD.

Smoking is the major risk factor for the development of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), but epidemiological data suggest that other etiological factors may also be involved. Chlamydia pneumoniae (Cpn) is an established cause of acute and chronic upper and lower respiratory tract infections. Data obtained from in vitro and in vivo studies indicate that Cpn infection can be involved in the development of both small airways disease and emphysema, the two major components of COPD.

Lack of association between vascular dementia and Chlamydia pneumoniae infection: a case-control study.

Background: Chronic inflammation appears to play a role in the pathogenesis of vascular dementia. Given the association between Chlamydia pneumoniae and stroke, the possibility exists that previous exposure to C. pneumoniae may play a role in vascular dementia.

Azithromycin therapy in patients with chronic Chlamydia pneumoniae infection and coronary heart disease: immediate and long-term effects on inflammation, coagulation, and lipid status in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Background: An association between Chlamydia pneumoniae (Cp) infection and coronary heart disease (CHD) has already been reported. We investigated the relationship between Cp infection and other risk factors in CHD patients, as well as the effects of azithromycin treatment. Methods: We studied 38 patients with Cp infection (Cp-pos) and 15 without (Cp-neg).

A randomized, controlled trial of doxycycline and rifampin for patients with Alzheimer's disease.

Objectives: To assess whether doxycycline and rifampin have a therapeutic role in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Design: Randomized, triple-blind, controlled trial.

Setting: Three tertiary care and two community geriatric clinics in Canada.

A family with abdominal aortic aneurysms.

This investigation focused on 7 siblings to 2 brothers with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), with respect to AAA, Chlamydia pneumoniae (CP) serology, serum cholesterol, and smoking habits. Five male and 4 female siblings were included. All siblings underwent ultrasonography, and surgical specimens from the aorta were prepared for immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis.

Multiple infections and subsequent cardiovascular events in the Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation (HOPE) Study.

Background: Limited prospective epidemiological data are available on the relation between exposure to Chlamydia pneumoniae, Helicobacter pylori, cytomegalovirus (CMV), and hepatitis A virus (HAV), individually or as a total pathogen score, and human cardiovascular (CV) disease.

Methods And Results: We analyzed enrollment sera from 3168 Canadian patients in the Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation (HOPE) study for antibodies to C pneumoniae, H pylori, CMV, and HAV and measured the relation between serostatus and 494 adjudicated trial outcomes of myocardial infarction, stroke, or CV death over 4.5 years of follow-up.

Does chronic Chlamydia pneumoniae infection increase the risk of myocardial injury? Insights from patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes.

Background: Cumulative evidence suggests a positive association between Chlamydia pneumoniae (Cpn) infection and risk of future coronary events among patients with stable coronary artery disease. However, its prognostic role in unstable coronary syndromes is less well defined. Because Cpn immunoglobulin A (IgA) may be a more reliable indicator of chronic infection than immunoglobulin G (IgG), we speculated that in patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes (ACS), this marker might serve as a more useful prognostic tool.

Relationship of anti-60 kDa heat shock protein and anti-cholesterol antibodies to cardiovascular events.

Background: Several recent studies have indicated an association between key inflammatory mediators and atherosclerotic diseases. We evaluated whether high levels of antibodies against heat shock proteins and cholesterol (ACHA) predicted cardiovascular (CV) events.

Methods And Results: We used blood samples from the Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation (HOPE) study to conduct a nested case-control study of 386 cases with CV events and 386 age- and sex-matched HOPE study controls without events.

Comparison of individuals with and without specific IgA antibodies to Chlamydia pneumoniae: respiratory morbidity and the metabolic syndrome.

Study Objectives: To determine whether a correlation exists between markers for persistent Chlamydia pneumoniae infection, respiratory morbidity, and the metabolic syndrome.

Design: Case-control study. A group of individuals with serologic markers (specific IgA > or = 1/128) suggestive of persistent C pneumoniae infection were compared with a group of control subjects without IgA antibodies (< 1/32).