A meta‑analysis of the association between Chlamydia pneumoniae infection and lung cancer risk.

OBJECTIVE: The association between Chlamydia pneumoniae infection and lung cancer risk was not clear with small number of cases in each study. The aim of this meta‑analysis was to evaluate the correlation between pneumonia infection and lung cancer risk by pooling the open published papers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We searched the electronic databases of Medline, EMBASE, Web of Science, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases for publications related to the association between pneumonia infection and lung cancer risk. Odds ratio (OR) and its 95% confidence interval (95% CI) was used to assess the correlation. The data were pooled by Stata11.0 software (Stata Corporation, College Station, TX, USA). RESULTS:Thirteen publications, involving 2549 lung cancer patients and 2764 controls were included in this meta‑analysis. The pooled results indicated that the C. pneumoniae infection significant increased the risk of lung cancer OR = 2.07 (95% CI: 1.43–2.99) by random effect model. And for serum IgG, 12 publications reported the IgG positive rate in lung cancer patients and relative healthy controls. The pooled OR was 2.22 (95% CI: 1.41–3.50) by using the random effects model which indicated that the IgG positive rate was significantly higher in lung cancer patients than that of healthy controls. The sensitivity analysis indicated the pooled OR was not sensitive to a single study. However, Begger’s funnel plot and Egger’s line regression analysis indicated significant publications bias for this meta‑analysis. CONCLUSIONS: According to the present published data, C. pneumoniae infection may increase the risk of lung cancer. However, for its significant publications and heterogeneity among the included studies, the conclusion should be interpreted cautiously.

Chlamydia pneumoniae infection in children

24 cases of Chlamydia pneumoniae infections in children aged 31,9± 15,4 months were admitted to Pediatric Hospital No 1 from August 15 to October 15/2004. The diagnosis was confirmed by serology and quantifying Chlamydia antibody. Common clinical symptoms were pneumoniae 54,2%, bronchitis 41,7%, tracheobronchitis 4,2%. But the most common were cough, then fever, wheezing, rhinitis, tachypnea and substernal contraction. Result had suggested more attention in the diagnosis and treatment as well as the communicability of the condition

Association of Chlamydia Pneumoniae Strain TWAR Antibody and Angiographically Demonstrated Coronary Artery Disease

BACKGROUND: A recent case-control study from Finland reported a strong relationship between high antibody titers to Chlamydia pneumoniae , strain TWAR, and both chronic heart disease and acute myocardial infarction. Other studies also suggested an association between C. pneumoniae infection and coronary atherosclerosis, based on the demonstration of increased serologic titers and the detection of bacteria within atherosclerotic tissue, but this association has not been yet regarded as an established theory. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between C. pneumoniae immnoglobulin G antibody titers and angiographically diagnosed coronary artery disease. METHOD: Coronary angiography was performed. Controls (n=89) were coronary angiographically normal cases and coronary artery disease (n=115) was diagnosed if coronary artery luminal diameter is obstructed more than 50% in more than one coronary artery. Micro-IF assay was used to measure C. pneumoniae TWAR antibodies. The sera were titrated in two-fold dilutions starting from 1 in 8, and a titre of 1 in 8 or more was judjed positive. RESULTS: The estimated risk of coronary artery disease, adjusted for age and gender, was greater among subjects with high (> or =1:128) antibody titers than with low (ENGLISH=Ptimes-i or =1:128) antibody titers.

Association of Chlamydia Pneumoniae Strain TWAR Antibody and Angiographically Demonstrated Coronary Artery Disease

BACKGROUND: A recent case-control study from Finland reported a strong relationship between high antibody titers to Chlamydia pneumoniae , strain TWAR, and both chronic heart disease and acute myocardial infarction. Other studies also suggested an association between C. pneumoniae infection and coronary atherosclerosis, based on the demonstration of increased serologic titers and the detection of bacteria within atherosclerotic tissue, but this association has not been yet regarded as an established theory. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between C. pneumoniae immnoglobulin G antibody titers and angiographically diagnosed coronary artery disease. METHOD: Coronary angiography was performed. Controls (n=89) were coronary angiographically normal cases and coronary artery disease (n=115) was diagnosed if coronary artery luminal diameter is obstructed more than 50% in more than one coronary artery. Micro-IF assay was used to measure C. pneumoniae TWAR antibodies. The sera were titrated in two-fold dilutions starting from 1 in 8, and a titre of 1 in 8 or more was judjed positive. RESULTS: The estimated risk of coronary artery disease, adjusted for age and gender, was greater among subjects with high (> or =1:128) antibody titers than with low (ENGLISH=Ptimes-i or =1:128) antibody titers.