[Chlamydia pneumoniae infection in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease]

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the association of chlamydia pneumoniae infection with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Methods: 61 patients with acute exacerbations of COPD, 35 patients with stable COPD and 26 healthy subjects were selected. Chlamydia pneumoniae-specific serum IgG, IgA, IgM antibodies were measured by microimmunofluorescence method. Chlamydia pneumoniae DNA in sputum were detected by nested polymerase chain reaction.

Results: The prevalence of acute chlamydia pneumoniae infection in COPD patients with acute exacerbation was significantly higher (31.1%) than that in patients with stable COPD (P < 0.05) and in healthy subjects (P < 0.01). The prevalences of chronic chlamydia pneumoniae infection in COPD patients with acute exacerbations (21.3%) and stable COPD patients (31.4%) were higher than that in healthy subjects (P < 0.05) The level of geometric mean titer of the serum IgA antibodies was the highest in COPD patients with acute exacerbations (20.5), intermediately elevated in stable COPD patients (10.8) and lowest in healthy subjects (3.6).

Conclusion: Acute chlamydia pneumoniae infection is a rather frequent event in acute exacerbation of COPD, and chronic chlamydia pneumoniae infection may be involved in pathogenesis of COPD.