The association between past Chlamydia pneumoniae infection and markers of chronic inflammation in obese women

Abstract

It has been widely accepted that obesity is associated with chronic, low-grade inflammation that affects the adipose tissue as well as the entire system. The aim of this study was to assess whether past Chlamydia pneumoniae infection influences obesity phenotypes and serum levels of low-grade inflammation markers in obese, healthy premenopausal women. The study was performed on 48 obese and 42 normal-weight women, aged 31.2 +/- 7.2 years. Serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) and its soluble receptor R2 (sTNF-R2), and interleukin 6 (IL-6) were measured. Body composition was assessed by bioimpendance. Insulin sensitivity was assessed by quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI). The seroprevalence of C. pneumoniae infection was 69.1% and was similar in obese and normal-weight women (75.2% and 61.9%, respectively; P = 0.18). Obese women had higher CRP than healthy controls (P < 0.05). IL-6, TNFalpha, and sTNF-R2 showed no significant differences when comparing obese and normal-weight or C. pneumoniae infected and uninfected women. In multivariate regression analysis, fat mass (P < 0.001) and QUICKI (P < 0.01), accounting for 35% of the variance of CRP and C. pneumoniae infection, did not significantly contribute to this model (P = 0.51). In conclusion, past C. pneumoniae infection was not associated with changes in chronic inflammation markers in premenopausal obese women.

Chlamydophila pneumoniae antibodies may be independently associated with increased BMI and percentage of body fat among women

“…Before our researches, only two other studies have reported similar association. Fernaendez-Real et al 35 showed among apparently healthy men from Spain a positive relationship between total pathogen burden based on Herpes simplex virus 1 and 2, enteroviruses and C. pneumoniae IgG serostatus and fat mass and percentage of fat mass, whereas Koziolek et al 36 observed a higher prevalence of asymptomatic past C. pneumoniae infection among premenopausal obese women with body mass and percentage of body fat above median values. Despite the fact that a positive relationship between C. pneumoniae infection and elevated BMI has been reported by several authors, there are still unanswered questions of whether excessive body weight is a factor that may predispose to C. pneumoniae infection or whether C. pneumoniae infection leads to the development of obesity.…”

The association of body mass index, waist and hip circumference, and waist–hip ratio with Chlamydia pneumoniae IgG antibodies and high-sensitive C-reactive protein at 31 years of age in Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966

“…[5][6][7][8]10,12 However, several other studies did not find such association. [27][28][29][30][31][32] Our study included over 5000 individuals, which is to the best of our knowledge, the largest study of the topic. In addition, our study population is general population based and the subjects were relatively young, 31 years of age at the time of data collection.…”

“…As most of the studies, we also used a single measurement of C. pneumoniae IgG as a marker of infection. 5,6,8,9,11,12,[27][28][29][30][31] A single IgG positive serum sample may indicate recent, past or persistent infection. 44 The simultaneous presence of elevated hsCRP with C. pneumoniae antibodies may, however, indicate that the infectious agent is currently present, possibly in a persistent form and maintains low-grade inflammation.…”

“…19,20 Slightly elevated levels of serum C-reactive protein (CRP) are considered as a marker of systemic low-grade inflammation associated with obesity, insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome, 21 and future cardiovascular events. [21][22][23][24][25][26] Previous studies concerning the association between C. pneumoniae infection markers and overweight/obesity have focused only on BMI and/or have had rather small sample size, [5][6][7][8]10,12,[27][28][29][30][31][32] the results being contradictory. In our large (n ¼ 5044), well-defined population, our aim was to study whether C. pneumoniae-specific IgG antibodies are associated with elevated BMI, and whether the risk is more pronounced in those individuals with an ongoing inflammation, measured by elevated high-sensitive CRP (hsCRP) levels.…”

Infectobesity: a New Area for Microbiological and Virological Research

“…Interestingly, it was reported that Chlamydia pneumoniae infection is associated with human obesity (17). People with persistent C. pneumoniae antibodies have a significantly higher BMI and chronic inflammation (18). This shows that bacterial infection is related to BMI in humans.…”