Objective and design: Our hypothesis was that percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) reactivates certain pathogens that contribute to inflammatory processes after the intervention.
Subjects: We determined the levels of antibodies to human Hsp60 and levels of histamine, CRP and IL-6 in sera from 28 patients of unstable angina prior to and on days 4 and 14 after PTCA. We compared the presence of Chlamydophila pneumoniae (Cpn) and human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) DNA in peripheral blood, and levels of antibodies to Cpn, HCMV, herpes simplex virus, Epstein-Barr virus and mycobacterial Hsp65 in the serum.
Results: Higher prevalence of Cpn and HCMV DNA was demonstrated after PTCA than before, but titers of antibodies to the pathogens did not increase. Levels of histamine, CRP and IL-6 were enhanced after PTCA. There was no association between the levels of histamine, CRP and IL-6 and the rate of pathogen DNA, or antibody titers to the pathogens, except an association between Cpn IgA and histamine levels before PTCA.
Conclusions: Reactivation of Cpn and HCMV and inflammatory change characterized by increased levels of histamine, CRP and IL-6 following PTCA are suggested. An association might exist between Cpn IgA antibody and histamine levels in patients of unstable angina.