Absence of Chlamydia pneumoniae in surgical specimens of coronary and carotid arteries by polymerase chain reaction.

PURPOSE: Several recent articles indicate the renewed interest that Chlamydia pneumoniae is associated with and contributes to arterial diseases. Associations have been established for coronary arteries, carotid arteries and abdominal aortic aneurysms by serological studies, immunofluorescence and DNA-specific testing. The purpose of this study was to determine the presence of C. pneumoniae in coronary artery plaques, carotid artery plaques and old vein grafts that were harvested at the time of surgery.

METHODS AND MATERIALS: Interventions were carried out on patients with carotid artery disease and coronary disease based upon their anatomic findings and symptomatology. Plaques were removed from the carotid arteries with standard endarterectomy techniques. The coronary plaques were removed utilizing blunt dissection to peel the plaque from the coronary artery. Old vein grafts were harvested during repeat surgery by excising the vein grafts. The tissue specimens were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

RESULTS

Ninety-nine specimens from 68 consecutive patients with advanced coronary atherosclerosis with or without cerebrovascular disease were analyzed. We failed to find C. pneumoniae in any of the vascular tissue.

CONCLUSIONS

A large cooperative study involving surgical specimen analysis is needed to assess the role of C. pneumoniae in the etiology of atherosclerosis.