The association of carotid plaque inflammation and Chlamydia pneumoniae infection with cerebrovascular symptomatology.

Objective: Inflammation and infection have been implicated in the pathogenesis of carotid artery atherosclerosis, but their role in cerebrovascular disease symptomatology is not so well defined. We hypothesized that carotid disease symptomatology was associated with specific serologic markers of inflammation and Chlamydia pneumoniae infection and the presence of the pathogen and concentration of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) on the atheroma.

Methods: In 2004, 78 patients underwent carotid endarterectomy in our department, 46 of whom were symptomatic (group A) and 32 were asymptomatic (group B).