1.Hyperhomocysteinemia associated with Chlamydia pneumoniae infection in ischemic stroke: A hospital based study from South India
VCS Srinivasarao Bandaru ; Subhash Kaul ; Demudu Babu Boddu ; Laxmi Vemu ; M Neeraja ; Suvarna Alladi
Neurology Asia 2009;14(1):1-5
Background and objective: While Chlamydia pneumoniae infection and hyperhomocysteinemia
have been shown to contribute independently to the atherosclerotic risk, recent evidence has linked
the association of C. pneumoniae positivity and hyperhomocysteinemia in patients with established
atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to investigate whether such a relationship can be replicated
in India, where both infections and hyperhomocysteinemia are prevalent. Methods: Patients of acute
ischemic stroke enrolled consecutively and prospectively in the Nizam’s Institute Stroke Registry,
Hyderabad, India (NISHI) were subjected to thorough clinical and neuroimaging evaluation. Blood was
drawn in fasting state for estimation of homocysteine level and the titers of C. pneumoniae antibodies
(IgG and IgA) by microimmunofluorescence method. Results: Of the 200 stroke patients, 72 (36%)
were tested positive for C. pneumoniae antibodies, and 128 (64%) tested negative. The percentage of
subjects with hyperhomocysteinemia, smoking, hypercholesterolemia and C-reactive protein positivity
was higher in C. pneumoniae positive group compared with C. pneumoniae negative group. Multiple
logistic regression analysis showed that hyperhomocysteinemia was an independent variable in the
C. pneumoniae positive group (Odds ratio 4.71 95% CI 2.2-9.8).
Conclusion: This study has shown that C. pneumoniae seropositivity is linked with hyperhomocysteinemia
in patients with ischemic stroke in a sample of South Indian population.